Hero of Legend (alternatively: Kyoya falls into a JRPG)
by haplesshippo
Summary: One moment, Kyoya was sitting in the middle of his living room. The next, he'd been thrust into another world and was expected to defeat the Big Bad. Somehow, he manages to fuck everything up within one day of being there.
1. The Beginning

A/N: Written for khrsecretsanta 2017 for thatpieceofkingdomheartstrash on Tumblr! Be sure to check it out!

I was playing Ys (which is an awesome JRPG with AMAZING music), and I was inspired to write something like it. I ended up writing something that had less to do with subverting jrpg tropes and more with trying to Hibari's character? Which may or may not have been successful, mostly because 1) I have no idea how to write his personality, and 2) I'm shit at character development. So! Let's see how this goes.

Please enjoy!

XxX

Kyoya settled onto his tatami mat, a cup of green tea steaming on the table and Tetsuya's reports in hand, when he first noticed it.

A buzzing, heavy quality hung in the air, like the prelude to a gathering storm that raised the hairs on his neck. The feeling grew by the second, and Kyoya was pretty sure that there was an intruder somewhere in _his_ house, on _his_ property, and Kyoya was going to bite to death whoever had even _dared_ to set foot in _his_ house.

He calmly laid the reports on the table beside his phone, cast a somewhat mournful glance at his cooling tea, and stood. His tonfa slipped out of the sleeves of his dark green yukata, and their comforting weights slipped into his hands as he prowleded through each room, looking for whoever was making that damnable feeling and beat it into submission. There was disturbing the peace, and then there was disturbing _Kyoya's_ peace, and then there was _disturbing Kyoya's peace in the safety of his own home_. The herbivore would be lucky to make it to the hospital in one piece when he found them.

Disturbingly, though, there was nobody lurking around his sprawling Japanese gardens, nor was there anybody waiting to ambush him in the house. His bedroom was pristine and neat, the windows of his bathroom locked, and other than Hibird's inquisitive chirping, no noise in his gardens.

By now, Kyoya's hackles had been fully raised, and there was a faint alarmed ringing in the back of his brain.

Finally, he returned to his living room, Hibird in tow, when he found it.

A small, black hole was growing in the middle of his table. Kyoya was pretty sure that whatever it was, it didn't belong there. He crouched and stared at it, eyes narrowed threateningly.

The black void was spreading, centimeter by centimeter, widening like the gaping of a beast's maw, and here, Kyoya felt the buzzing the keenest. It felt like there was wind blowing into the hole, or maybe it was sucking in air, tugging at the flaps of his yukata and making his hair flutter. Hibird landed on his shoulder and whistled quietly in warning. Its feathers were rustling with the unseen wind, and Kyoya reached up a hand to steady it.

Kyoya considered his options. Perhaps the pineapple had decided to play a trick on him. Perhaps this was a new enemy of the fluffy baby boss's. Perhaps whatever the growing void was, it was harmless.

Kyoya found, in the end, that he didn't really care what the hole was. So he did the (questionably) sane thing he would have done with any other unknown, threatening source.

He attacked it.

In hindsight, perhaps attacking a black hole hadn't been the smartest route to take, but it certainly was the most direct. Kyoya appreciated nothing more than cutting to the chase.

The moment he neared it, an invisible forced tugged on him forcefully, and he growled, lashing out with one steel tonfa and meeting nothing but air. Hibird chirped, alarmed, and quickly winged its way out of the living room. Well, at least one of them would be out of harm's way.

Kyoya narrowed his eyes and brought his tonfa down with a resounding _crack!_ His wooden table splintered, but his attack didn't stop the black hole from sucking him in. Wind whistled past his ears and tousled his hair, and his bare feet skidded on the tatami.

With the knowledge that he wouldn't be escaping…whatever _this_ was, he decided (as was usual) to either go big or go home, and he lunged straight through the black hole, ready to meet whoever was on the other side with a tonfa to the face, maybe a ruptured spleen, a couple of broken bones. He really wasn't picky.

The moment his feet made it through the edges of the hole, it sucked closed with a disturbing slurping sound, and Kyoya (he would deny it to his very dying day) fainted straight away.

It wasn't the best moment of his life, to be honest. At least nobody was there to see it.

XxX

Contrary to popular belief, Kyoya was not, in fact, a morning person. Nor was he an afternoon person, or a night person. He really wasn't a person without a good cup of tea in the morning and a thorough patrol around Namimori to start off his day. He usually woke up like a zombie, and until there was a Hibird on one shoulder and tonfa in his palms, he wasn't quite a functional human yet.

(Many would argue he never had been a functional human, but they never voiced this thought aloud.)

Kyoya was also a very light sleeper. A mere creak of his floorboards, or the click of a door opening, was enough to rouse him enough to instinctively send a tonfa flying towards any intruder with deadly accuracy and force.

So when Kyoya woke up to silk sheets that he most _definitely_ did not own, with some herbivore daring to intrude on his slumber and no cup of tea at his bedside ready made by Tetsuya, Kyoya rose like a hellhound and chucked his pillow at the intruder.

There was a squeak, the sound of the pillow smacking satisfyingly into someone's face, and then the crashing of said someone into ornate double doors.

" _I will bite you to death_ ," Kyoya hissed with the fury of a man woken up in unfamiliar surroundings and _no tea in sight._

"Kyoko-hime!" came a distressed cry from the other side of the door. Kyoya swung out of the four poster bed with disgustingly luxurious sheets, spied his tonfa lying on the nightstand, and immediately palmed them in preparation for a good beating.

"Wait!" The body unearthed itself from beneath the overstuffed pillow, and Kyoya was faced with the female fluffy herbivore sister to the stupidly loud boxing herbivore. She was dressed differently than usual, in a pale pink kimono and ornamental clips in her hair. Her short hair had grown longer, pulled back into a bun held up by an elaborate and beautiful kazashi. Despite her somewhat crumpled state and her position on the ground with the pillow held defensively against her chest, she sat rather regally. She blinked doe eyes up at him and said, "I apologize for waking you!"

Kyoya felt something inside him soften. He'd always had a weakness for small, fluffy herbivores, especially ones who knew when to apologize.

Kyoya pursed his lips nonetheless. He didn't like being woken up. "Explain. _Now._ "

The herbivore squeaked before scrambling to her feet. She bowed with more grace Kyoya had ever seen her display. "My name is Sasagawa Kyoko, and I am the princess of Nippon."

What.

"My retainers and I summoned you to this kingdom to defeat a great evil that will befall us."

 _What_.

"As our Chosen One of prophecy, we hope that you will lend us your aid in defeating Checker Face and bring peace to our land of Nippon once again."

 _What exactly was this_.

Kyoya narrowed his eyes and adjusted his grip on his tonfa. Perhaps the pineapple herbivore really had wrapped Kyoya in an illusion…but no, not even that insect would be able to create an illusion this elaborate.

But why worry about the details, when he could just beat anything that attacked him into submission anyways? There was a threat the fluffy herbivore needed eliminated, and oh look, Kyoya happened to be just in the mood to thoroughly and completely eviscerate something.

"Tell me about this Checker Face."

He had a bone to pick with that old man, anyways.

XxX

It turned out, the land of Nippon was ruled by the princess Kyoko, since her older brother had up and vanished one day without warning. They were currently in a city named Namimori (which, despite the much older styled buildings and lack of technology, still resembled the town Kyoya was much more familiar with), the capital of Nippon, and right below the palace, in a large cavern, was a cavern containing the weakening seal that held back Checker Face, the greatest evil their land had ever faced.

"…rampaged through Nippon one thousand years ago, and was sealed away here by the great adventurer Sawada Tsunayoshi with the help of the four Guardians. However, the Oni have been growing more and more unruly in the past decade. Attacks on villagers have been happening with increased frequency. We suspect…"

Kyoya yawned drowsily, _still_ not having had his cup of tea yet, and gazed half-lidded up at the large, glowing black stone in front of him. There was a strange creature etched onto its surface, one with a large horn and hooves, not unlike a horse. Rusting chains and decaying charms wrapped all around the large monolith. Power pulsated from deep underground, and the etching glowed with black and yellow light.

Mind made up, Kyoya withdrew his tonfa in one smooth movement and readied himself to attack.

"…leaking from the weakening seal. Thus, we require your aid to…w-wait, Hibari-sama!"

Kyoya disregarded the fluffy herbivore's plea and brought his tonfa down with a resounding _clang!_ After all, whatever was sealed behind this large rock was probably _strong_ , and aside from the baby hitman, Kyoya rarely faced anything enough to excite his bloodlust. Perhaps the budding baby boss would grow to become a king, but as of yet he was still weak.

Kyoya was ready for a fight, a _challenge_ , and if this Checker Face was anything like his world's Checker Face, he'd most certainly get one once it was released.

The rusting chain broke easily, and the rest of it clinked as it fell to the ground. The charmed tags fell off of the rock, and the creature etched into the stone began to glow intensely. Kyoya's mouth stretched into a grin when the pulsating power suddenly _roared_. Black energy whirled around them, and the fluffy herbivore screamed. She grabbed his sleeve, but he shook her off impatiently, anticipation rushing through his veins and excitement lining his teeth.

Suddenly, the large monolith cracked, and out from the middle rose a giant, with checkered skin and a metallic, black and white mask covering its face. It had large, skeletal wings and a wicked, whip-like tail. It rose, standing taller than three times Kyoya's height, its horns grazing the roof of the cavern as glowing golden eyes blinked lazily behind its mask. White hair flowed over its scalp and down its knobbed back.

 ** _Ah, how long it has been since I had been imprisoned_** , it breathed, large and terrible. It fixed its gaze down on the two of them, and it gave a rumbling laugh. **_Two children, come to release me. Tell me, what are your names?_**

There was something wriggling in the back of Kyoya's brain, something that he hadn't felt in a very long time, something he couldn't recognize. He ignored it and gripped his tonfa tighter. He didn't have his Box Weapon or his Vongola Ring with him, but that didn't mean he couldn't cause considerable damage with just his tonfa.

"I-I am the princess of Nippon, Sasagawa Kyoko, and beside me is the Chosen One!" The fluffy herbivore raised her chin admirably, and but her voice trembled. A mere herbivore, playing at predator. "We will defeat you, and we will seal you again, just as my ancestor Sawada Tsunayoshi did one thousand years ago!"

Checker Face snorted, and with alarming speed for such a large beast, brought his clawed hand down where Kyoya had been standing. Rock crunched, and a small earthquake radiated from the impact. The ceiling rained dust and rocks.

Heart pounding in his throat, Kyoya sliced through the air, over the claw and debris pelting him from the blow. His feet touched the ground before he was in the air again, throwing his whole weight behind his tonfa. The metal met checkered skin, but Checker Face only shook off Kyoya's attack with a laugh.

 ** _Is that the best you can do?_**

Fast as a viper, Checker Face swept his arm across the ground, and suddenly Kyoya went flying across the large cavern. His back met the dirt walls, and he absorbed the pain, legs already coiling to launch him into another attack.

A sudden shriek caught his attention, and Kyoya's eyes snapped towards the fluffy herbivore. He snarled, having forgotten that _there was a defenseless herbivore_ in the middle of the fight. She was clutched in the monster's hand, eyes wide with fear.

 ** _Dear little princess, how I shall enjoy crushing your kingdom within my fingers,_** Checker Face purred. She screamed again, this time in pain, and Kyoya hurled himself right at the fist. He rammed his shoulders right at the joints of the beast's hands, and Checker Face released his captive with a surprised roar.

Kyoya leapt, unceremoniously slinging the female herbivore over his shoulder in midair, and darted for the stone stairs leading up back to the palace. Alone, perhaps he would have fought, but Kyoya had always been taught to protect his own pack, and while the female herbivore was not pack quite yet, she was someone who did not need to suffer. Not even he was so tunnel-visioned that he would stay in a collapsing cavern with possible collateral damage to fight a beast just as powerful as he was.

(He didn't not acknowledge the traitorous thought that said it was perhaps even more powerful.)

Mocking laughter echoed around the rock walls, and as Kyoya climbed, the herbivore clutching at his clothes, he felt a tremor, faint at first that grew by the second, cracking across the rocks of the stairway. Black lines spider webbed across the path, and small bits of rock began falling from the ceiling.

With another burst of speed, Kyoya sailed back into the palace and ran full tilt towards the courtyard, still towing the herbivore like a sack of potatoes.

When his feet finally hit grass, he unceremoniously dumped his burden onto the ground and turned around to watch the palace collapse. Already, parts of the palace was crumbling like a sodden cookie. A large spiral tower rained debris into the courtyard. There were faint screams, and Kyoya spied several servants fleeing out of the building. One particular servant spotted them and ran over, panting for breath and flushed from exertion.

"Kyoko-hime!" she cried when she was within hearing distance, grabbing the fluffy herbivore in a fierce hug.

Something like regret panged through him. There were undoubtedly lives lost and property damaged, and Kyoya did not need to think very hard to place the single causal point for the incident.

Kyoya had done this.

True, his recklessness had put his own life in danger before, and his tendency to rush in and attack did put him at a disadvantage at times, but he had always been strong enough, fearless enough to defeat (or at least survive) his enemies.

This time, though, he'd let his bloodlust consume him, his excitement for a challenge and his quest for a fight guide him as usual, but he had…miscalculated. Checker Face was strong, and it truly pained Kyoya to admit this, but perhaps even stronger than he was. The environment for the fight had not been ideal, and he had a civilian with him at the time as well.

Kyoya didn't often feel shame. He felt it now.

"You!"

The exclamation was hissed vehemently, fury lining the words and anger wakening in her tone.

Kyoya turned to find a finger in his face, and he had to curb the instinctive urge to break it into tiny little pieces.

" _You_ ," the servant repeated, and Kyoya now recognized her as the other herbivore, the headstrong one who was incredibly protective of the fluffy one. The herbivore was, strangely, carrying a silver bow with blue etchings on it, and a sheathed katana. "You did this!"

"Wait, Hana-"

"I thought the _Chosen One_ was supposed to save us, but instead he _released_ Checker Face from the seals, and at the same time doomed us all!" The girl narrowed her eyes. "We shouldn't have summoned him."

"It was a mistake-" the fluffy female tried to defend, but Hana shook her head.

"It was a mistake summoning him. We should never have relied on outsiders," Hana snarled. She gestured at the castle. "Look what he has wrought! Now, Checker Face will-"

There was a distant, muffled cracking sound, and the palace collapsed completely into a heap of rubble. From it, Checker Face rose, its skeletal wings flapping in the air, horns raking the sky. It landed and tilted its mask towards the sun.

 ** _Ah, yes. It has been so long since I have felt the sun. And soon, nobody in this land will ever feel its warmth after I am finished with it!_** It cackled, and black, crackling energy formed between its horns. Checker Face swung its head, and the energy _exploded_ , reaching out like lightning and quickly setting several neighboring buildings on fire. Black miasma rose from where it stood, crouched on the collapsed ruins, and it finally spotted Kyoya. **_I must thank you. Come and serve me, and I may not decide to kill you._**

"Fuck off, you murderous cretin!" the angry herbivore shrieked, and with a whirl of movement, had her bow nocked and ready to fire. Blue, gleaming energy wound around her fingertips and the bow's string, tightened and trembling.

 ** _Ah, yes, you are the bodyguard. Perhaps you will be the first to taste my power!_**

She released her arrow at the same time Checker Face fired another bolt of black lightning, and the fluffy herbivore managed to tackle the archer out of the way just as the lightning swallowed her arrow and struck the ground where she had been standing.

 ** _A proud little Chosen One, the very bringer of disaster upon the land. An inexperienced princess, still naïve and unburdened. And a fierce, hot headed bodyguard! You think you will be enough to defeat me?_** Checker Face rose into the air, wings beating powerfully and tail writhing. It raised its claws above its head. **_Perhaps I shall defeat you here and now…!_**

It yanked to a stop, as if still shackled to something, and gazed down at the ground blankly.

The fluffy herbivore gasped for breath. "The seals have not been completely weakened yet. You are still chained to the palace."

 ** _It will only be a matter of time, girl._** Checker Face shook its great horned head. **_I can still kill you!_**

"We need to leave," the fluffy herbivore muttered, and the angry one nodded in agreement. She shot Kyoya a dirty glare, to which Kyoya only stared back coolly, before handing the princess the sheathed katana. The fluffy herbivore strapped it to her waist.

 ** _Do not think you can escape so easily!_** Checker Face roared. It brought its claws down, and the ground began crumbling beneath them. Kyoya retreated, as much as it hurt his pride. He would have to lick his wounds today. He had already felt the sting of failure from being unable to protect the lives of Namimori, for _causing_ disturbance in his city. He would have to get stronger, much more so, before returning to defeat the beast.

"Run," he barked, and he sprinted past the two female herbivores. All around him, the damage had spread. Smoke turned the sky a dusty red, and fleeing villagers screamed for friends and family. He saw children lying dead, their crying mothers kneeling beside the still bodies. He saw sprinting young men, their most precious belongings held to their chests. He saw women helping their elderly parents hobble to safety.

Finally, after what felt like hours of dodging panicking civilians, he made it out of the village. All around him, villagers were collapsed on the ground, gasping for breath, staring at their former home in despair. Despite the crowding, Kyoya could not find it in himself to care much about them, focused more on the disaster spreading behind him.

Fear. That had been that niggling emotion at the back of his mind earlier. Fear, an emotion he could not remember feeling before, and overwhelming shame.

Kyoya closed his eyes, fingers clenching around his tonfa. He now had a debt to these people, this world, wherever he was. He had failed his duty, and he had betrayed his people.

"Oh kami." The fluffy herbivore knelt in front of an old woman with a bleeding gash on her forehead. "Healer, we need a healer!"

The angry herbivore gazed around her, bow slung across her back and hair tied up in a high ponytail, desperately seeking out anyone with medical training.

Namimori, collapsed within the span of a day.

Kyoya, the perpetrator of the disaster that befell them.

He turned and left. He would have to train, to explore this land, to grow stronger. Only then, when he could look them in the eye, would he return and lay Checker Face to rest.

XxX

A/N: Thank you for reading! As usual, comments and criticism are welcome. Hopefully I'll get chapter 2 up by tomorrow. There's a total of 6 and they're all written.

Sincerely,

haplesshippo


	2. The Azure Dragon

The nights were cold. Kyoya was no stranger to discomfort, but he was also used to his creature comforts.

He stared up at the stars, so different from the ones in his Namimori, and yet just as ethereally beautiful. They winked between the rustling leaves of the trees, and Kyoya settled into the branch he was perched in, back against the truck, one leg propped up and the other hanging in the air. He closed his eyes.

He didn't know where he needed to go. Apparently the baby boss had defeated and sealed away Checker Face one thousand years ago. Kyoya vaguely remembered something about four Guardians being mentioned, but he honestly hadn't paid much attention to the fluffy herbivore at the time. A mistake he was paying for now.

He dozed quietly, mulling over possible paths to take, when there was a rustling in the bushes beneath him. His every muscle tensed, and he cracked open an eye, steel gaze cutting towards the disturbance.

"…told you, we won't find him. Not that that's a great disappointment."

"We _need_ him, Hana. He's the Chosen One, and the only one the four Guardians will offer their powers to. We need to find him!"

"He _caused_ all of this!"

"It would have happened anyways, and you know it. The seals had already been deteriorating. I know he'll help us, and I know he'll defeat Checker Face. I have faith in him."

It was that unwavering belief, even in someone who had destroyed her home, that made Kyoya drop silently before them. They both shrieked in surprise, each going for their respective weapons.

"Herbivores," he greeted quietly. He raised his hands as if talking to a small animal, palms up. "I mean you no harm."

"Worthy words, from someone who has already destroyed so much," the angry herbivore snapped.

" _Hana_ ," the fluffy herbivore warned. She turned and bowed to Kyoya. "We have come to aid you on your quest."

Kyoya only raised his chin. He admitted, grudgingly, that he did need information, should he wish to right his wrongs. "Explain."

"Your quest to contact the four Guardians and to gather their powers in order to defeat Checker Face once and for all," she answered patiently. Her fingers played across the hilt of her katana, and she said, quietly, "You are our only hope, now. We have even left our own people behind to aid you, in hopes that you will restore peace to our land. Please, Chosen One, we need you."

Kyoya straightened. "Can you herbivores fight?"

The fluffy herbivore smiled, a calm, fierce quirk of lips, and Kyoya could see, perhaps a little, how this herbivore could grow to become a passable omnivore. "I was trained in swordsmanship, and Hana is the most skilled archer in the palace. We will not burden you."

Kyoya nodded in acceptance. Two more, perhaps, was not quite a crowd yet. "You know the way to these Guardians, herbivores?"

"Yes. We are actually already headed in the direction of one of them right now. The great Azure Dragon is to the east, and it will only take several more days until we reach the shrine. We will assist you in any way we-"

"There's no need for you to pander to him, Kyoko-hime." The angry herbivore stepped between them, as if to shield her from Kyoya. "Especially when he won't even bother to learn our names, and only calls us herbivores. From the way I see it, the way he ran away from the scene of his crime makes _him_ the herbivore."

Kyoya's hackles rose, and without thinking, he snapped, "Watch your words, or _I will bite you to death_."

The angry herbivore leaned forwards aggressively. "I would like to see you try, _coward_."

"Hana!" the fluffy herbivore exclaimed, shocked.

"I only ask from him for the respect that you have shown him. Is that too much to ask, or is the Chosen One too special to talk like a normal person to the common people?" the archer asked cuttingly.

It was somewhat fortunate that words (unless it was that damnable pineapple's, anyways) did not often bring Kyoya to the edge of bloodlust, or the angry herbivore would only be a smear against a tree.

And yet, Kyoya could see the angry herbivore's point. Was it not his tendency to disregard others and rush in by himself that landed him in this situation in the first place? Headstrong, confident in his ability to defeat any enemy…until now. Perhaps it truly was time to curb his pride.

The angry herbivore…Kurokawa, was right. It stung, and Kyoya didn't _like_ being wrong, but he wasn't so proud to continue along a self-destructive path. Only the strongest survived, and if that meant Kyoya had to _evolve_ , then he'd do so without even a glance backwards.

"…Sasagawa. Kurokawa." Kyoya conceded grudgingly.

The princess sighed, and Kyoya finally saw the fatigue beneath her eyes, the exhaustion in her limbs. They had probably been chasing him all day.

"…I don't forgive you, yet," Sasagawa whispered, and Kyoya could hear the faint tears in her voice. "So many of my friends, of my civilians and my countrymen, died today. But we have to move on, if we wish to end Checker Face."

"Kyoko-hime…" Kurokawa laid a gentle hand on the princess, and she sent her servant a grateful smile.

"I will take you to the four Guardians, and then we will end Checker Face together," Sasagawa said firmly. "But for today, we rest."

Kyoya conceded. He leapt up onto his branch once more and kept watch for the rest of the night, the low voices of the two women beneath him accompanying the night life noises.

XxX

 _Shnik!_

Kurokawa's blue energy arrow flew through a rabbit, pinned to a tree midleap. It kicked uselessly for a moment before Hana casually reached forward and broke its neck.

"I don't see how a monkey like you thought you could survive out here," the archer said in a deliberately off-hand manner. She unsheathed a small knife and began skinning the rabbit. The pelt slipped off easily, and she gutted it cleanly and efficiently. "You don't even know how to hunt. You're lucky no Oni have shredded you to pieces yet."

Kyoya remained silent, watching stonily as the (fluffy small _adorable_ ) animal was spitted on a stick and roasted over their small campfire. Sasagawa had left their campsite for the night in search of edible berries, leaving Kyoya with the dubious pleasure of Kurokawa's company.

"Don't know where you are, don't know where you're going, don't know how to survive. I'm surprised you're still alive, and also kind of disappointed you _have_ survived so far." The archer spun the spit slowly, her dark eyes glaring at him from over the roasting rabbit. "You should never have come here. You've only made things worse."

Kyoya knew this, but that did not mean he would have to accept her criticism docilely. He was a _carnivore_ , no tamed herbivore.

"Coming to this world was not _my_ choice." He leaned back against a tree trunk. "Now that I have, I will kill Checker Face."

Kurokawa snorted. " _Kill_ Checker Face? You barely even escaped alive. You can't kill the demon."

Kyoya only curled his lips a little. He couldn't before, but he would evolve. He always did, when the hunt was more challenging than usual, and the prey larger and stronger than predicted.

She muttered mutinously, barely heard over the crackling fire. "A real conversationalist you brought here, Kyoko-hime. Good job."

Kyoya looked up and over the tree tops, at the dying sunlight bathing the sky in reds and purples. They had traveled all day, and Kyoya had been surprised by both of the women's endurances and travelling speed. Perhaps they had been raised well by their herd, in this world.

"How long until we reach the Guardian."

"Dear kami, he can't even ask a proper question either. Demands, demands, demands," Kurokawa complained under her breath before raising her voice. "Two weeks at most. We are closest to the Azure Dragon, to the east. We head for its shrine first, and then it will take at least four months to circle around Nippon to reach each of the other shrines and head back to the capital."

Kyoya stared at the glowing fire. Smoke drifted upwards, and the smell of cooking fats and meat drifted towards him. His stomach growled, and Kyoya scowled.

Kurokawa glanced at him and snorted. "You're the most emotionally and socially stunted Chosen One I've ever met."

Kyoya curled his lips. "Have you met many?"

"Not one, but you'd think that a savior would be charismatic. Not you, though. You're like a wild beast."

Kyoya, personally, found nothing wrong with being compared to a wild beast. Those were usually predators, through and through.

Kurokawa stared at him from over the fire, the light glinting golden off of her eyes. "I don't like you."

Kyoya didn't bother answering. Not many liked him. Beyond Tetsuya and the Disciplinary Committee, not many even endured his company. He wasn't one for crowding, like the little boss's group of herbivores, or the pineapple's tribe of misfits.

"You're not unskilled at fighting, which we will need in our upcoming trials, but that's not why I don't like you," she continued. She scowled at the rabbit and slowly rotated the spit. "I've met men like you before. You think you can do everything yourselves, treat anyone however you want. You've got egos the size of Nippon. Alone, proud, with not a lick of common sense when it comes to people. The way you are now, I don't think you capable of saving a single person, let alone a whole nation.

"Kyoko-hime told me all about her interactions with you. You attacked her the moment you saw her, and despite her warnings, you still destroyed the seals that had caged Checker Face. You've disregarded her words, and you don't listen. But worst of all, it's almost like you don't care for anyone. You're only setting out because you've made a mistake, and you want to fix it for yourself. But not for others, not for _our_ people. It's like you don't have a pinky's worth of compassion in your body.

"So, again, I don't like you, not even a little bit, but if it'll put Kyoko-hime at ease and save our people, then I will walk through the fires of hell to work with you."

She thought him arrogant? She thought he didn't care? He'd _always_ put Namimori before all others. He worked to preserve the peace, to save Namimori's culture and people, to eliminate all disturbances. Namimori had been under his wing, and he fought tooth and nail to protect it. She accused him of thinking of only himself, when he'd _always_ put Namimori first.

He narrowed his eyes. "Watch you words, _herbivore_."

The woman scoffed. "Or else what? Will you begin attacking someone, just because you don't agree with their words? A mindless beast, chained only to his instincts? I'm disappointed that our Chosen One would be you. Kyoko-hime's too nice, indulging you."

Kyoya snarled and rose, but at that moment one of the bushes rustled, and Sasagawa emerged with a small cloth bag full of berries.

"I heard arguing. I hope I'm not interrupting." The princess's smile was tense, and her grip on the satchel was tight. "I brought back food, so why don't we sit down and share?"

Kurokawa humphed. The archer prodded at the rabbit, muttering darkly under her breath. Kyoya narrowed his eyes, still bristling. Without another word, he slunk into the forest, leaving behind Sasagawa's worried calls and Kurokawa's stony silence.

With companions like these, who could blame him for wanting to work by himself?

XxX

Seiryuu's shrine was, supposedly, located within a large tree thousands of years old. Its boughs stretched towards the sky, and vines as thick as Kyoya's torso snaked around its trunk and branches. Birds flittered between leaves, and he felt a deep ache of longing for Hibird. Was it safe? How was it faring without him there?

"I've never been this far east. It's magnificent," Sasagawa breathed, staring up at the towering giant. Her hair was out of her face, clipped back by delicate accessories, and she had tied up her long sleeves and pinned them to the cloth around her shoulders. For all that she was a princess, she was also a passable warrior and kept her limbs free of cloth.

"I've been here only once, when my father brought me on an errand. It's no less magnificent since then," Kurokawa agreed.

Kyoya breathed in serenity, the smell of dew on grass and sound of fluttering bugs and leaves rustling in the wind. There was a calm here that he could usually only encounter deep within the forests surrounding his Namimori.

"The Azure Dragon's shrine is within the tree. The last I heard, a powerful seal guards its shrine from enemies. We will need to find the key." Sasagawa said, frowning. "But where…?"

"And what business, exactly, do you have with the great Seiryuu-sama?"

The party whipped around, and Kyoya cursed himself for not hearing them before they had snuck up on them. The moment he recognized the one who had spoken, a deep growl rumbled in his chest, and his hand immediately found his tonfa, braced for a quick offense.

The leader held up his hand in a peaceful gesture and grinned, fox-like. "We only ask because recently, there have been an increase in Oni attacks. We would like to protect Seiryuu-sama's shrine from any encroaching humans as well."

"Who are you?" Sasagawa asked, stepping forwards.

"My name is Byakuran, and we are the Millefiore." The marshmallow herbivore was dressed in green robes, with brown twine stitching across the cloth. He smiled, eyes closed, but there was the lurking edge of danger underneath the pleasantry. "I ask again. What are you doing here, near the Azure Dragon's shrine?"

Sasagawa bowed, and Kyoya scoffed under his breath. They should have beaten the herbivores and gotten this whole interaction over with, yet the princess wanted to play _nice._

"I am Sasagawa Kyoko, princess of Namimori. We seek audience with the Azure Dragon, Seiryuu, to once again seal Checker Face."

The marshmallow herbivore tilted his head, and his pack shot each other tense looks. "Ah, yes, Checker Face. Has it reawakened, and has the Chosen One been summoned?"

Sasagawa stepped aside, and Kyoya narrowed his eyes consideringly. There were six other herbivores aside from the marshmallow. It would be no great feat to bite them all.

"Is this he?" the marshmallow asked. He inclined his head slightly towards Kyoya and then turned his piercing purple eyes back on Sasagawa. "We Millefiore have long been the gatekeepers of the shrine. You will need our cooperation to pass through the seal."

The princess sighed in relief. "In that case, thank you very mu-"

The marshmallow tutted. "I did not say we _would_ help you."

Silence reigned between the two parties as the women stared at him, and he stared back, smile mild as milk.

"W-why would you not?" Kurokawa asked, baffled. "The whole country's safety and survival hinges upon Seiryuu's aid!"

The marshmallow paced, and behind him, his herd shifted. Kyoya recognized many of them, vaguely. He did not often commit the faces of those he bit to death to memory.

"You expect us to entrust the safety of the shrine to you? How do we know you are not imposters, and that this Chosen One is truly worth Seiryuu-sama's help? You forget, little princess, that our responsibilities not only lie with protecting the shrine, but also judging who is worthy to enter it. And from what I have seen, your Chosen One is not worthy." The marshmallow smiled, all teeth, this time nothing soft to cover his menacing aura.

"Not that I don't agree with you, but…" Kurokawa muttered, and Sasagawa ignored her.

"How, then, can we prove ourselves to you?" she asked.

The marshmallow shrugged. "Nothing. The trees have ears, and the ground eyes. We have been watching you since yesterday, and thus far we've seen nothing of note about your Chosen One. Strong, yes, but not cooperative with the rest of his party, and certainly prone to acting on his own with no thought about consequences for others."

This was the second time someone had said the same thing about him.

"You doubt me?" he asked, steely and with the indignation of being insulted numerous times from both Kurokawa and a _spineless herbivorous marshmallow._

"In not so many words, yes." The marshmallow shrugged.

Kyoya moved forward to bite the damned white piece of useless air to death, but Kurokawa hissed venomously, "Stand down, you _fool._ "

"Please, you wouldn't doom us all to Checker Face, would you? Should you refuse, you would unleash it upon yourselves as well," Sasagawa pleaded.

The marshmallow folded his arms and cocked his hip mockingly. "Are you saying we are wrong, in that he is not impulsive, thinking with only his own bloodlust? Who is to say that, even with Seiryuu-sama's aid, your champion will even win? Your success depends just as much on your champion's character than it does on Seiryuu-sama's help."

Kyoya breathed in. Diplomacy was nowhere near his list of skills (which mostly consisted of biting people to death). Honestly, if it were up to him, he'd be smashing their faces in until they agreed to help. However, he'd ignored Sasagawa's advice once. Perhaps it would not be wise to do so again.

"I have a debt I owe to Namimori and her citizens," he said, finally. He drilled holes into the marshmallow's face, ignored the absurdity of reasoning with a _marshmallow, honestly_ , and continued. "I will see this task through, and we will see this dragon. Whether you agree, or not, though…" he lifted his tonfa, and somewhere behind him there was an exasperated sigh and the sound of skin hitting skin (probably a palm with a forehead). "…may be a different story."

"Are you _threatening_ us?!" the small, blue-haired fish herbivore asked angrily. Beside her, the lava herbivore tensed.

The marshmallow shushed them, and eyed Kyoya. Tense silence stretched between them, thick enough to cut with a butter knife. Finally, the marshmallow laughed. "Fine, yes, you're amusing, aren't you? An egotistical but honorable hero." The marshmallow hummed. "Always looking for a fight while trying to maintain the peace. A war-mongering Chosen One. Fine, we'll help you. Whether you succeed in obtaining the Azure Dragon's help will be another story. It will be interesting to watch, either way."

"Byakuran-sama!" several voices exclaimed at once. The fish herbivore was puffing up, blue hair flaring behind her, and the green one with the sun flames was starting to turn distinctly…scaly.

The marshmallow held up a quelling hand. "Let us go. The shrine is within the tree."

XxX

Inside the tree was a large cavern, easily as high and wide as a small building. Kyoya idly wondered how a hollow trunk was capable of holding the tree's not inconsiderable weight.

Before him, a green symbol glowed on one face of the cavern. It pulsed brighter and brighter as the marshmallow approached.

He shot Kyoya's party an amused look. "Stand back."

His herd had spread across the cavern in a circular pattern, with the marshmallow standing in the middle. There was a low buzzing that reminded Kyoya of when he was first sucked into this world. The droning grew and grew until Kyoya realized that the marshmallow's herd had been chanting, words indistinct as they rose and fell in volume rhythmically. The green symbol grew radiant before breaking with a cracking sound and shattering into little green pearls of light.

Like wax melting from a candle, the wood beneath the symbol faded, and in its place was a dark tunnel lined with luminescent moss.

"Through there," the marshmallow gestured. "We will be waiting outside for any news. Good luck!" With a cheery wink, he exited the cavern, posse in tow. Kurokawa and Sasagawa shot each other perturbed looks.

"He's kind of creepy," Kurokawa whispered the moment they were out of earshot. Sasagawa giggled uneasily.

They all headed into the tunnel. Kyoya made sure to keep his ears out for any noise, but all the sound he could hear was the tapping of their footsteps as they advanced. Up ahead, from the other end of the tunnel, a green light began shining.

They emerged into another cavern, and Sasagawa gasped in shock. At the very center, green crystals grew out of a wooden shrine, emitting green fireflies that flew around the dimly lit cavern like stars. A dragon was carved into the shrine, long and sinuous, like it was soaring through the skies.

Kyoya lifted a finger and traced the carved lines. Abruptly, the carving also began to shine emerald, and there was a dull roaring sound. Their surroundings vanished like mist in the sun, and Kyoya tensed when he noticed that neither Kurokawa nor Sasagawa were with him anymore. Instead, he was alone, floating in the air with no ground beneath him or roof above him. Hues of green whirled around him in a palette of wind. A great voice sounded around him.

 ** _Welcome, Chosen One, to my abode_**. The shape of the Azure Dragon shimmered into being. In contrast with the green, the Azure Dragon was a deep dark blue of rippling fur and teal mane. Its yellow eyes stared at him from a great height, and its snake-like body was a wave of continuous movement. Great white antlers stuck from its head, and whiskers flowed from its mouth.

 ** _I am the Azure Dragon of the East, Seiryuu._** Seiryuu lowered its head. **_Oh Chosen One, warrior from another world brought to ours. We have placed a great burden on you, yet you must fulfill your destiny, lest a great disaster fall upon us._**

Kyoya inclined his head. "I intend to."

 ** _Such determination, and not one drop of doubt in your body. Admirable. Yet you still have much to learn, about our world and yourself. You are accustomed to acting alone, but you will not be able to defeat Checker Face without aid._** The Azure Dragon lifted one clawed arm and clenched his fingers. When he opened them again, there was a shining green jewel in the middle of his palm. **_Many do not believe you will be able to complete this difficult task set upon you. Take this._**

The jewel floated out of the dragon's palm and landed in Kyoya's cupped hands. He held it with care, as if he were handling a small animal. Awe swept through him, and along with it the feeling of dew upon a spider's web, the chatter of small animals within the forest, the laughter of a bubbling creek, and wind playing in the leaves of the forest. Kyoya closed his eyes and could feel the life of the forest, living and breathing like one large organism.

 ** _Only a member of the Millefiore tribe will be able to wield the East Crystal. Take this and one of my protectors, and head to the abode of the Vermillion Phoenix, to the south. I wish you luck on your journey. Perhaps you will be able to accomplish what the first Chosen One could not._**

Kyoya frowned as he gripped the jewel. What did Seiryuu mean by accomplishing what the first Chosen One – this world's baby boss – could not? But before he could ask, the greens around him whirled dizzingly, and between one blink and the next, he found himself kneeling, hand still on the wooden shrine. It was no longer glowing, but the jewel clutched in his hand radiated green light.

"What happened?" Kurokawa demanded.

Kyoya closed his eyes as warmth pulsed from the jewel up his arm and into his body. He breathed, held the smell of earth and grass and foliage in his lungs, and let it out.

"I have the Azure Dragon's blessing," he answered, and he opened his palm to show the women the East Crystal. It blinked at them, and Kurokawa raised an impressed eyebrow while Sasagawa grinned in delight.

"That's wonderful. We should return to the Millefiore and show them. Did the Azure Dragon tell you how to use it?" Sasagawa asked as they turned to leave the cavern.

Kyoya frowned. "We need…one of them, to wield it," he admitted grudgingly, and Kurokawa snorted.

"You need to work with others? How dreadful," Kurokawa drawled teasingly, and Kyoya shot her an annoyed look. For once, though, she wasn't acting sardonic or condescending. "I guess we'll need to take one of them with us."

"Not the marshmallow," Kyoya said immediately.

"The…marshmallow?"

"The white haired one," Kyoya clarified, and Sasagawa mouthed _'marshmallow?'_ to herself questioningly.

Finally, they emerged from the tree, and Kyoya was surprised to see that the sun was starting to set, bathing the tree in bronze. The Millefiore tribe were spread across the grass, some lying down and watching the skies, some leaning against titanic roots. Milling, like crowding herbivores.

"Got the East Crystal, did you?" the marshmallow drawled. He had been sitting on a large rock, but the moment he'd caught sight of them he hopped off and sauntered towards them. "And what did the Azure Dragon say?"

"We need one of you to journey with us, to use the Crystal," Sasagawa replied.

For the first time, the marshmallow frowned, and he glanced at his herd. "We are rather attached to our home, and tend not to wander beyond the edges of the forest. I cannot leave, else the tribe would be leaderless."

None of the Millefiore volunteered. The marshmallow sighed.

"It'll be six months at most, surely," Sasagawa said tentatively, turning her eyes onto each member. They stared back at her warily. "Please, we-"

At that moment, a screech tore through the peaceful evening, and in a flash, Kyoya had his tonfa in hand. Several of the Millefiore had also started sporting rather animal-like parts.

"Oni, here?" one of the Millefiore asked, disbelievingly. "They have never ventured so deep into the forest."

"They must be after the East Crystal," another one replied, and he stood from his crouching position. His skin was starting to turn dark red, and a tail whipped out from underneath his robe. He glared at Kyoya. "Your presence has brought them to our most sacred grounds. Leave, before you cause more trouble."

From the shadows, a small shape scuttled. The blue haired female darted into at the form and crashed into it. With a fierce cry, she wrestled it into the light and held it up for them to see. It was small, the size of a small raccoon, a black writhing form of shadow with a checkered mask where its head would have been.

"There's bound to be more of them," she said, bathing it in blue power before it evaporated into the air. The mask clattered to the ground and shattered into black spores, which dissolved as they floated upwards.

A roar shook the ground, and all of a sudden, black forms were surrounding them, flying in the skies and perched on roots, all moaning and shrieking, black and white masks grinning grotesquely down at them. Kyoya had never seen any creature like them before.

"Oni," Sasagawa explained to Kyoya's unasked question. "We had been lucky not to run into them since we set out of Namimori."

"Looks like we've got a fight on our hands. I hope you're ready," the marshmallow said as he raised his arm at one of the larger Oni. Small white dragons began pour from his sleeves. "I look forwards to seeing your skills in action, Chosen One."

Oh, Kyoya would show him his fighting skills. Perhaps a demonstration of a _tonfa to the fucking face_ would quell the marshmallow's curiosity. He tucked the jewel into a pocket, and bloodlust began to roar through him.

One of the Oni, shaped like the unholy spawn of a large feline and raptor, launched itself at them, and the fight began in earnest.

After that, Kyoya only knew the thrill of battle. He tore through Oni after Oni, teeth bared in a fierce grin, purple flames roaring around him as he used them as a battering ram. Perhaps he had none of his Vongola gear to replicate here, but he _did_ have his tonfa. Between launching them at masks and cracking the checkered masks with a vicious step underfoot, he cut through swathes of Oni. He was vaguely aware of Sasagawa struggling to hold her own, stance shaky as she tried to stand firm against the onslaught. Kurokawa took to higher ground, blue arrows whizzing past him, some missing, some striking true. On all sides of him, red and blue and green and white, scales and wings whirled in the dizzying dance of battle.

In between one moment and the next, he caught sight of a familiar herbivore, with lank green hair and yellow slitted eyes, grunting as one of the Oni tore his arm off. The herbivore screamed in anger, and the arm began to grow back, but not quickly enough for him to defend against another blow that threw him against a tree.

Kyoya caught his prey in his gaze, and with a soaring leap, brought his tonfa straight through the beast's mask. Behind him, there was an almost silent breath of relief, and green tipped claws cut furrows into another mask.

Ah, that was the regenerating herbivore that Kyoya had taken great enjoyment in defeating ten years in the future. Perhaps nigh immortal, but the herbivore hadn't been immune to capture.

In his brief distraction, Kyoya barely sidestepped in time to avoid a black paw to the side. As it was, its nails tore through Kyoya's clothes.

The East Crystal tipped out and fell onto the grass.

Suddenly, all movement stopped in the clearing. Each Oni had its mask fixed on the stone. The very air seemed to still, not even one being daring to move.

At the same time, the green herbivore, Kyoya, and the Oni all dove towards the jewel. Bright viridescent light _flared_ , blinding Kyoya and leaving spots in his vision. He grit his teeth and focused his senses on sound as he tried to clear his sight. When he could focus again, the green herbivore had the jewel in his hands.

And all around him, vines were pushing out of the ground, clawing at the air. Several of the Oni were impaled on stakes of wood, and some were strangled in thick roots. The herbivore was staring down at the jewel in wonder, lighting up his rather youthful face and the thick scar slashed diagonally between his yellow lizard eyes.

He turned his gaze from the jewel to the Oni, and in a sweep of his arm, the forest came to life. Leaves scattered to the wind and sliced across masks.

Kyoya resumed battle alongside the carnage. Within the span of minutes, every last trace of checkered masks and black bodies had disappeared. The forest calmed again, the vines melting into trees and roots submerging into the ground.

"Daisy…" the marshmallow breathed. "Well done."

The green herbivore beamed, but before delight could begin to dawn, he froze, staring at Kyoya. Kyoya only looked back impassively.

"You are coming with us," Kyoya finally declared. The poor herbivore didn't seem to know whether to be delighted to be holding the East Crystal in his hand or devastated that he'd been chosen to leave his home.

Kyoya resigned himself to taking another herbivore under his wing.

XxX

A/N: Please let me know if Hibari's characterization isn't accurate. I'm having a lot of trouble writing him.

Again, thanks for reading, and comments and criticism welcome as always!

Sincerely,

haplesshippo


	3. The Vermillion Phoenix

A/N: I appreciate the reviews! They're all very reassuring, and I'm glad I'm not screwing up Hibari's character _too_ badly. Some did say that him traveling with a group isn't in character, and I agree! Hibari's a loner and he's only looking for a fight throughout the majority of the manga, but in my fic he kind of willingly hangs out with Kyoko and Hana, which is pretty weird. His character seems a bit too...stagnant in the manga, though, and he doesn't develop into someone who learns to cooperate with others. For example, TYL Hibari willingly teaches Tsuna, and he had hatched the whole plan to defeat Byakuran with TYL Tsuna. We don't see that kind of cooperation with the younger Hibari, and I'm trying to bridge that gap. So I do think my Hibari is kind of out of character, but I'm aiming for something that's believably OOC.

Anyways, thank you all for the support. Onwards to the next chapter!

XxX

"Lizard herbivore," Kyoya said.

 _"Daisy_ ," the lizard herbivore corrected, perhaps for the hundredth time, aggravation clear in his voice.

"You'll get used to it," Kurokawa snickered. She scuffed her foot against the hard, rocky ground. Since they had set out from the east with well wishes and some vague threats ( _"If any harm comes to Daisy, I will hunt you across the entire nation, Chosen One or not. You better bring him back in one piece."_ ).

"Daisy herbivore," Kyoya amended, mostly because he was a giant troll. "Can you use the crystal in these conditions?"

Daisy crouched, tracing his hand along a crack in the earth. Up ahead, a large volcano loomed in the distance, puffing out plumes of smoke. The air was unbearably hot and dry, and salt was crusted along Kyoya's skin and clothes after his sweat had evaporated. He tugged his clothes from his skin and scowled. The sooner they left this damned region, the sooner he could find a hot springs and never return.

"Unlikely. There isn't much vegetation here, and whatever there is won't be able to grow any larger. There's simply not enough nutrition in the soil," Daisy replied. He stood, and long clumps of his hair swung in front of his face. The jewel glinted from around his neck.

Kyoya grunted, peering up at the volcano. Since leaving the forests, they had encountered three more waves of Oni, and while in the forest Daisy's jewel had been of great help, now one of their largest advantages was gone. It didn't help that Sasagawa, while capable of wielding her katana, had not mastered her blade, and it often fell to Kyoya to defend both her and Kurokawa.

"We need to hurry, then," Sasagawa said, having the same thoughts as Kyoya. They made their away across uneven rocks and jagged, hardened lava. Daisy was clearly uncomfortable in the region, having lived in lush verdant forest for the entirety of his life. He fiddled with the jewel on his necklace, and his eyes swept across the landscape unceasingly.

The volcano didn't seem to stop growing the nearer they got to it. Kyoya thought he could see small rivulets of red in the distance, and several times he had to hop across the ground when certain patches scorched his feet through his shoes.

"I think…there. I see a cave!" Kurokawa exclaimed, pointing at a long, jagged crack in the side of the volcano. Kyoya peered at it suspiciously.

"I don't think that's very safe," Daisy said dubiously, squinting at the chasm that split the volcano in two. Kurokawa snorted in a 'no shit' way.

Kyoya ignored them and headed directly between the crack's towering walls. Whether the herbivores wanted to follow would be their decision, but Kyoya was never one to shy away from danger. There was a clattering of pursuing footsteps behind him.

The cave was lit crimson from flowing lava pooling from the walls and streaming between rocks. It was beautiful, in an eerie way. Every sound they made echoed through the dark tunnel, and they frequently had to duck under low hanging rocks or climb up sides of walls with convenient footholds. Daisy was muttering mutinously, irritated by the heat.

"…can't believe I was dragged with you," he groused, limp hair swinging from his face as he hefted himself onto a ledge. He gave the princess a hand and pulled her to her feet. "I don't belong anywhere near here. I don't even like fighting."

"That's a blatant lie," Kurokawa muttered.

" _And_ ," Daisy continued, as if he didn't hear her, "to make it even worse, the leader can't even get my name right."

"Daisy herbivore, excessive squawking is punishable by death by biting," Kyoya drawled. Daisy squealed, and his mouth shut with an audible click.

Finally, after another length of walking and one minor encounter with an Oni (which Kyoya had annihilated without even a blink), the path began to widen into a cavern (of which there seemed to be many in the land of Nippon). Ahead, a dark crimson symbol pulsed on the wall, just like the one in the forest.

"Do we need someone to open it for us?" Sasagawa asked dubiously. "We haven't met anyone who could help."

"Who even lives in this shrine?" Kurokawa asked.

"The Vermillion Phoenix of the South," Daisy answered automatically. "Where Seiryuu-sama is the guardian of the east, representing life and spring, Suzaku-sama is of fire and summer. It's no wonder it lives in the heart of a volcano."

"So who protects the shrine here?" Sasagawa asked curiously.

Daisy shrugged. "The tribes generally keep to themselves. Last I heard, only several individuals, usually travelers or adventurers, are selected by Suzaku-sama throughout the land to guard the shrine, and there is no official tribe who lives in these lands."

"Where can we find the protector?" Kyoya asked, turning his attention on Daisy. The green-haired man scowled unhappily at him and shrugged.

"Our best chance would be to wait around for-"

A roar, by now familiar as one made by an Oni, echoed throughout the cavern.

"Again?!" Kurokawa grouched, drawing her bow. Blue energy fizzed to life between her fingers.

"Checker Face probably knows we're after the four Crystals and is sending the Oni to stop us," Sasagawa said grimly. Her katana rang, and she settled into a two-handed stance. "We'll probably be facing many more of them from now on."

"I hate violence," Daisy whined. Despite his words, green rippled up his hands, and his eyes gained a yellow color.

Kyoya said nothing, and the moment a checkered mask showed itself, he launched himself at it.

A giant paw swiped at Kyoya's head, but he ducked and knifed out a leg, knocking the Oni on its back and bringing his foot down upon its mask. Without missing a beat, he whirled and pounced, bringing his tonfa to tear another Oni in half. Where one died, another replaced it, and the whole cavern was a pulsating throng of black bodies and checkered masks.

He wasn't sure for how long he'd been fighting, so consumed with battle thrill he was, but he could tell that the others had already started tiring.

"We can't keep going like this," Daisy panted and winced when he jostled a bloody gash in his side. The wound stitched itself together easily, and he stood tall again, no injury in sight. "I might be able to recover from any injury, but Kyoko and Hana can't."

"We need to come up with a strategy," Kurokawa yelled, pushed to the side and firing from the safety of a small corner. In front of her, Sasagawa was a continuous flow of movement and silver steel, slicing whichever Oni dared to come near enough. However, they were being pushed back against the wall, surrounded on all sides by masks and fangs.

A shadow passed overhead, and Kyoya's instincts screamed at him to dodge. The ground underneath him was shredded under giant talons, and a mass of black shaped like a giant eagle screeched, mask perched on its head. It flapped, whipping up a storm of dust and heat, and soared into the air. Kyoya scowled and launched himself at a wall, using his velocity to run directly up the flat surface. He coiled and leapt and, after an exhilarating second of flying, landed directly on the back of the bird. The Oni screeched and dove towards the ground, flapping viciously in an attempt to throw him off. With one hand clutched in the creature's body, he ripped the mask directly off of the beast with vicious glee. The body, which had already started to disintegrate, went crashing downwards.

"Shit!"

Realization dawned on Kyoya as he rode the giant bird down…directly on top of Kurokawa and Sasagawa.

"Move!" he bellowed, but it would have taken the two women too much time to get out in time from being crushed.

Suddenly, there was another war cry, a flash of movement, and something…some _one_ …swept them away in a blur.

The half-disintegrated Oni impacted where Kurokawa and Sasagawa had been standing with a plume of dust and smoke. Kyoya coughed and waved his hand in front of his face to clear the dust. When his vision was clear again, he found a familiar man, wrists taped, hair shorn short, fierce expression on his face, arms around the waists of the two women. By his side stood a man with silver hair, dressed in a truly baffling amount of jewelry made from what looked like lava rock.

"What an EXTREME battle!" the older Sasagawa herbivore roared.

"What the actual _fuck_?!"

"Brother!"

"Prince!"

"Who?" Daisy asked, patting his robes, where small puffs of dust wafted from.

"Herbivores," Kyoya greeted, some relief from seeing two faces he was more familiar with in this strange land.

"I had an EXTREME workout!" the boxing herbivore grinned, setting down his two loads. They landed delicately, and Sasagawa sheathed her sword. While Kyoya had been occupied with the bird, apparently the rest of them had finally managed to whittle down the hoard of Oni.

"Who the fuck are all of you?" the other new arrival, the smoking one Kyoya often had to bite to death because he _wouldn't stop smoking on school property_ , snarled. He raised his hands, in which he held two sparkling orbs that flared an alarming iridescent red. "Get away from Suzaku-sama's shrine!"

"I know them!" the boxer said aside to the smoking herbivore, beaming. "This is my little sister and her loyal retainer Hana!"

"I don't _care_ who they are!" the smoking herbivore snapped, and flames started licking up his arms explosively. "They can't just come crashing to Suzaku-sama's shrine!"

"Brother! Where have you been?" Sasagawa threw herself into her brother's arms, unmindful of the sweat and grime both had on every inch of skin.

"EXTREME training!" he responded brightly. He slipped a strand of her hair that had escaped the bun behind her ears. "But what are you doing in these treacherous lands? And who are these people with you?"

On the other side, Daisy grimaced at the mess of his robes, picking out a clump of hair swinging in his face and eyeing it suspiciously. "I hope where we're going next has a bath," he groaned.

" _You_."

The hissed word drew Kyoya's attention from the commotion, and he blinked and turned to see Kurokawa right in his face. Her eyes were flinty, and she was practically vibrating with anger.

"Kurokawa," Kyoya responded. No doubt, the woman would have something more to complain about.

" _Were you thinking about anyone else when you went rushing off to battle_?" she snarled, and Kyoya had to fight off his instinctive punch at something within his personal space.

"Defeating the enemy," he said simply.

"Did you even notice, for one second, that your little aerial fight would have hurt any of us?!" By now, the archer was spitting mad. Behind her, the rest had settled to watch the spectacle warily. Even the boxer had a disapproving frown on his face, but the smoking herbivore didn't seem to care either way and was busy glowering at every person present.

Kyoya didn't respond. Truthfully, he _hadn't_ thought of the consequences. He hadn't even thought about the others when fighting, only the throbbing drum beat of battle, the same sensation he'd grown up feeling on the streets of Namimori.

Kurokawa seethed, "You still haven't learned teamwork. You could have _killed_ us out there, with that stunt you pulled with that bird!"

"Would you have preferred I left it be?" Kyoya asked stiffly. His hand trembled, and he breathed deeply. Sometimes, his pack would be insubordinate and try to take over. He couldn't let that happen. _He_ was pack leader.

"I would have preferred you worked with us!" she screamed back. "You're always trying to go off and do your own thing! But you're part of a _group_ now, so act like it!"

"Hibari-san," Sasagawa cut in, gently clasping Kurokawa's arm and pulling her away from Kyoya's personal space. "We only ask that next time, you fight with us instead of fighting separately from us."

"Perhaps if you _herbivores_ were capable of holding your own, I wouldn't have to," Kyoya replied coolly.

Sasagawa recoiled, and Kurokawa glowered, venom in her gaze. If her glare were a weapon, Kyoya would long ago have been dead.

Nonetheless, Kyoya inclined his head as acknowledgement of the request and turned his head away in dismissal. Kurokawa scoffed in disgust and turned sulkily to glare at the red character still glowing on the wall.

"And _what_ are we supposed to do with that anyways?" she asked, frustrated.

"Ah, I have an EXTREME answer to that!" the boxer herbivore roared. His enthusiasm easily cut through the tension, and Sasagawa shot her brother a grateful look. He explained, "During my travels, Suzaku-sama recruited me to become one of the protectors of its shrine! I know how to unlock the seal!"

"That's wonderful, Brother!" Sasagawa enthused, although her voice wobbled a bit, still stung by Kyoya's blunt but valid point.

The boxer turned to Kyoya and bowed. "I haven't EXTREMELY introduced myself! My name is Sasagawa Ryohei, prince of Nippon and protector of the Vermillion Phoenix's shrine! And you are Hibari Kyoya, the Chosen One who will defeat Checker Face!"

Kyoya inclined his head slightly, still trying to wipe Kurokawa's words from his mind. "I will need access to the shrine."

"And I can give it to you! Give me some space," the boxer herbivore ordered.

"What, just like that?!" the smoking herbivore yelped.

"I trust them," the boxer herbivore said simply. He turned towards the giant symbol, closed his eyes, and began murmuring no words Kyoya could understand. The smoking herbivore sighed and took up position opposite of him, closing his eyes and clasping his hands together at chest level. As they chanted, the red rune pulsed once, twice, three times, and then glowed so brightly Kyoya had to shield his eyes.

When the crimson light died down, the wall had disappeared, and behind it was a long cavern similar to the one at Seiryuu's shrine.

"We'll be waiting outside," the boxer herbivore said, voice lowered respectfully.

"Like _hell_ we will!" the smoking herbivore snapped, and then was unceremoniously dragged out by his arm. "Sasagawa! Let _go_ of me!"

"I'll wait outside too," Daisy said, peering into the tunnel dubiously. "It's bound to be even hotter in there."

Kyoya glanced at Sasagawa and Kurokawa. They glanced at each other and nodded. "Let's go then."

As they proceeded through the tunnel, torches on the walls began spontaneously springing to life. The flames flickered, turning their shadows into grotesque shapes on the walls.

Stony silence reigned. Kurokawa was resolutely saying nothing to Kyoya, still furious. Sasagawa glanced between them but had elected to stay quiet. Kyoya simply had nothing to say. He'd never dealt with criticism well, even a well-deserved one.

They emerged into a large cave. Lava dripped from various areas, oozing and sizzling the moment they hit the ground. Lattices of crystals grew all over the walls. At the center was a giant shrine, made of hardened lava, porous and black as pitch. On its rough surface was carved a beautiful, elaborate phoenix. Occasionally, fire licked from its open mouth, and the red glow of the cavern made it seem like its tails were dancing.

Without prompt, Kyoya reached forwards and laid a palm on the shrine. Red started whirling around him, crimson and burgundy and bright bloody red, a hurricane of fire, and Sasagawa and Kurokawa disappeared within the color. Hot wind caressed his sweaty hair. A trilling chirp caught his attention.

 ** _Welcome, Chosen One, to my abode._** In a burst of fire, the phoenix roared to life. Long feathers flared from its tail, tipped in shimmering blue. Its wings spread wide, its long sinuous neck stretched sky high, and its great golden talons clawed at the air. Clear blue eyes focused on him, and it opened its beak.

 ** _I am the Vermillion Phoenix of the South, Suzaku._** Suzaku stopped flapping its wings, and immediately the violent wind slowed and stopped. **_Oh Chosen One, come to my shrine for my blessing and my power. You visited Seiryuu's shrine with not a shred of doubt in your heart, yet you come to mine troubled. What ails you?_**

Kyoya scowled. The phoenix tipped its head.

 ** _Ah. Your allies doubt you. You work best alone, yet you have been thrust into a team. They expect much from you._** Suzaku raised its head and trilled gently. **_Did you know, your predecessor came to our lands shy and unable to fight? Sawada Tsunayoshi had no self-confidence or courage, yet he grew into himself well enough to defeat Checker Face. The Chosen One is not chosen just for their prowess on the battlefield, nor for their charismatic natures. They come here to grow, and it is whom they become that saves us._**

Kyoya shifted. "I did not come here for a lecture."

Suzaku hummed. **_Perhaps not, but it is not a lecture I give you, but advice. Listen and cooperate with your teammates. You can work alone, yet still be part of a group._** The great bird sighed. **_I hope that, with the aid of your allies, you may return our land to rights._**

"The dragon said that I might be able to accomplish something Sawada could not," Kyoya said, finished talking about the topic. He'd already gotten an earful from Kurokawa. He didn't need one from a Guardian as well.

 ** _Ah, yes, but that is not my place to reveal. Perhaps you will find the answer during your journey. Here is my gift to you._** Suzaku breathed out a gentle stream of fire, and out of the inferno dropped a red crystal. Kyoya instinctively reached out and caught it. It was warm, and what looked like a small flame inside flickered gently. He could feel the volcano rumbling from the jewel, of liquid rock slowly building pressure deep below the surface, an inferno ready to be unleashed. **_Only one of my protectors can wield the South Crystal. Your next destination is to the home of metal. The White Tiger to the West awaits you. I hope that you will develop as both a fighter and a man, and you will deliver salvation to this land._**

Without another word, the phoenix screeched, and as quickly as Kyoya was enveloped in a world of fire and wind, his surroundings vanished, returning him to the shrine's cavern. He stood, the South Crystal clutched in his fist.

"Did you get it?" Sasagawa asked quietly. Kyoya opened his fist in answer and showed them the jewel.

"We will need either of the herbivores outside to use it," he answered, already striding out of the room and back into the tunnel.

"Would it _kill_ you to use their names?" Kurokawa snapped.

"I will use their names when they prove themselves worthy," Kyoya replied shortly, "just as you and Sasagawa have."

Kurokawa opened her mouth, then closed it, not knowing whether to be angry or strangely flattered.

They returned to the entrance of the volcano to see Daisy and the smoking herbivore bickering.

"…perfectly _fine_ place to live. Are you insulting Suzaku-sama's home?!"

"What's wrong with trees and plants? I don't see why it has to be so _hot_!"

"Perhaps your Guardian isn't-"

" _Watch what you say about Seiryuu-sama, scum."_

"I'm sure Seiryuu-sama's home is EXTREMELY magnificent!" the boxing herbivore cut in loudly.

"We can't leave anyone alone for a second, can we?" Kurokawa asked nobody, exasperated beyond belief.

The boxing herbivore's head swiveled towards them. "Did you get it?" he asked excitedly.

Kyoya gestured for him to hold out his hand, and when the boxer reached out with taped fingers, he dropped the jewel into the awaiting palm. Crimson flared, and suddenly fire began licking out of the jewel and coated both of his arms. The boxer lifted one fist, amazed, and suddenly punched the ground. It cracked impressively, and wildfire flared outwards in a cloud of heat.

"So extreme…" the boxing herbivore breathed. He lifted his eyes and met Kyoya's gaze. "I'll be coming with you, then?"

Kyoya nodded. "We head to the west."

"Good riddance," the smoking herbivore muttered in relief.

XxX

A/N: As always, thank you for reading, and reviews and criticism is always welcome!

Sincerely,

haplesshippo


	4. The White Tiger

Four was most definitely a crowd.

They had managed to leave Suzaku's land, but the west wasn't much better. Instead of the rough, hardened lava that made up the south's terrain, the west was littered with mountains that reached for the skies, with snow-tipped caps and fog obscuring the very tallest peaks. The air, thankfully, was cool, and occasionally they passed a giant windmill that powered a small restaurant or hostel.

Much to Daisy's delight, they stumbled upon an onsen, and everyone unanimously agreed to stop there for the night.

Daisy sank into the naturally heated waters with a groan of bliss. He dunked his hair beneath the water (to which Kyoya sniffed in disgust; onsen water was _shared_ , and it was bad etiquette to wash one's hair in it), and when he emerged he practically melted into a satisfied puddle.

The older Sasagawa settled beside Kyoya. He wouldn't mind, as long as the boxer was _quiet_.

Which, in hindsight, was like asking for a miracle, really.

Kyoya's skin began itching again, as it often did when he spent too much time around people. He'd already spent half a week on the road with four others, all of whom were noisy and wouldn't stop _talking_. He was, frankly, rather sick of it.

"What do you want, Sasagawa?" Kyoya finally asked, interrupting what was until that point a very one-sided conversation from the boxer. The other fighter grinned freely.

"Call me Ryohei! With two of the Sasagawa family here, it'll get confusing if you call us by our last names!" the boxer replied cheerily.

"Ryohei," Kyoya corrected testily. Ryohei did have a point there.

"And you should call Hana and Kyoko by their given names too! And…" Ryohei frowned and glanced at Daisy, who waved a hand negligently.

"My name's just Daisy," the green haired man said. He blinked languidly, like the lizard he sometimes transformed into.

"And we'll call you Kyoya instead!" Ryohei finished.

Kyoya hummed. It was quite early for them to be on first name basis already, but considering Kyoya already knew each of them for several years in his original world (and Daisy only went by one name), it would be fine.

"So!" Ryohei exclaimed, before he lowered his voice. His face grew serious, and he said, quietly, "Is there anything bothering you?"

Kyoya shot him a startled look. He honestly wasn't asked that question often. In his home world, most were usually too scared or intimidated to ask. Here, though, it seemed people were much more open, and much less afraid of him.

Kyoya mulled over the question. There were many things bothering him, but the first that rose to mind was…

"Crowding," he replied. He sank into the water and felt the heat work its way into his muscles, easing sores and pain. "There are too many people around."

Just as people here were more open, perhaps it wouldn't hurt for Kyoya to become a little more open, too.

"You like to work alone?" Ryohei prodded. Daisy slowly floated over and hung off of a small rock. He lazily traced a finger through the water.

"In my world," Kyoya started, surprised with himself in confiding in _Ryohei_ , of all people, "I am the aloof cloud, one that cannot be caught and travels its own path. We work independently from afar, and only return to the group when we are needed."

Daisy snorted. "How are you independent when you're part of a group? That's contradictory."

"That's what you mean by crowding," Ryohei said, insightfully. He scratched his short hair. "I can't say I understand the whole cloud thing, but even if you do prefer working alone, you're still part of a larger organization, right?"

Kyoya hummed. He stared straight ahead, slate grey eyes fixed on the rising steam. It was fine, confiding something like this in his companions. He'd never see them again after this whole debacle was over, after he was returned to his own world. He'd defeat Checker Face and go home, and nobody would remember this conversation except for him.

But a man couldn't be strong all the time. And Kyoya, despite all appearances, was still human. He couldn't just _run_ from this…quest, journey, adventure, whatever he'd gotten himself roped into. But he could also feel his mood souring, plummeting from the company he'd been keeping and the accusations leveled against him.

"You can work alone, and be part of a team too," Daisy said quietly. "The Millefiore is made of strong personalities and individuals, and we mesh as well as oil and water, yet we all unite under Byakuran-sama. We prefer working alone, but we come together when we need to. It's okay to lean on someone else sometimes."

Kyoya flexed his fingers, feeling the tendons in his forearms stretch. "There are _too many_ people."

"Why don't you try scouting ahead?" Ryohei suggested, grinning exuberantly at his plan. "Like a cloud, float wherever you want, as long as you tell us where you're going, and you return! That way, you get your alone time, and we still work as an EXTREME team at the end of the day!"

Kyoya closed his eyes. Not a bad idea.

"And maybe you should apologize to Hana-chan. I think she's still mad at you."

No. That was _definitely_ a bad idea.

XxX

That was _still_ a bad idea, but apparently Kyoya had been filled with bad ideas lately, from accidentally releasing Checker Face to confiding in strangers his troubles.

"I would like to…apologize," he began stiffly. Hana's mouth dropped open, but Kyoko nudged her pointedly and nodded towards Kyoya encouragingly. Suzaku's words echoed in his mind again. _You can work alone, yet still be part of a group._ "I gave no thought to your conditions during the battle, and I realize I have not been working as part of a team."

He turned his head, but then forced himself to look at the two women directly in the eyes again. Somehow, apologizing was much harder than admitting everything in the privacy of the onsen.

"I will strive to communicate better, in and out of battle from now on," he finished, and he stood there, awaiting judgement. For some reason, something in him hoped for forgiveness from them. He never liked to disappoint others. He was a paragon of strength and ferocity, and when he failed others, he failed himself as well.

Hana's lips twitched, but Kyoko was the one who spoke.

"We accept your apology," she said regally and bowed. "I took your argument to heart as well. I realize that, at the current level I am, I am a mild help at best, and a burden at worst in battle. I have been training in my off time, and when we fight again, I shall be ready." In her eyes shone steel, forged by royalty and tempered by experience, determined and resolved to become _stronger._ Kyoya felt a small smile stretch his lips, perhaps the first genuine one since coming to this land. Kyoya could see a carnivore in the making, growing into her own skin, evolving to rise to the challenge.

"I also want to apologize for my harsh words," Hana began before muttering beneath her breath, "although they were well deserved." Kyoko coughed loudly, and Hana sighed. "I was only concerned for Kyoko-sama's safety, and took out my worry on you. I get that we were in the heat of battle, and I should know by now that we don't think the clearest when we're fighting. So, sorry."

Hana blushed, but she also met Kyoya's gaze fearlessly. He found unflinching strength in her gaze.

Kyoya bowed as well. Courtesy never hurt anyone. "I also accept your apology. Thank you, Hana, Kyoko."

He turned abruptly and began walking down the path. Further ahead, Daisy and Ryohei were talking amiably (rather, Ryohei was shouting enthusiastically and Daisy was looking a bit dazed) to give the three a bit of privacy.

"Did he just call us by our given names?" he heard Kyoko ask bemusedly.

" _Did he just call you without an honorific?!"_ Hana hissed back, back to her default enraged setting. "Show some respect to the princess, you heathen," she roared.

Kyoya leapt up onto a tree and began treading his away across the branches, parallel to the trail. Unbidden, the smile stretched, and Kyoya hummed to himself good-naturedly.

XxX

"Er," Daisy said, looking up at the giant metal monstrosity before them. The structure reminded Kyoya greatly of a large factory, set into the side of a mountain. From its top, white steam periodically spewed forth, and gears all along its outside walls whirred and whistled unceasingly. "This is Byakko-sama's shrine?"

"This EXTREMELY is!" Ryohei replied, not at all put off by the strange appearance of the huge building. "Just inside here. Although it's EXTREMELY strange that none of the metalworkers are here!"

"Metalworkers?" Kyoko asked.

"The protectors of the western shrine," Daisy explained, gazing up at the huge metal building with amazement. "They're renowned for their mastery over machinery. This area provides them with ample rare ores to work with, and the windmills help power their work." He shuddered slightly. "All this cold metal is creepy, though."

A cool wind whipped around them gently. From deep inside the building, they could hear gentle whirring and clanking, a large, metal beast purring away as it worked.

"Let's go," Kyoya said, already starting to make his way into the factory.

"I think some of us should wait here, in case we come across a metalworker." Kyoko glanced between her companions. "We'll need one to get into the White Tiger's shrine."

"Should we split up?" Hana asked. "It'll be harder for us to meet up later."

"We split up," Kyoya finally said, after a moment's deliberation. He swept his eyes over them, assessing. Daisy would be more effective with using his East Crystal outside, where he could access his plants freely. Kyoko and Hana would want to stay in the same group. Ryohei wouldn't be happy about leaving his sister alone.

Kyoya's skin began crawling, and he closed his eyes. Perhaps…

"I will head alone into the shrine," he intoned finally. He just wanted to be alone for a while, and honestly, their company was getting exhausting.

"Do you really think that's a good idea?" Hana raised a judgmental eyebrow. "You're clearly capable in battle, but I don't trust you to do something foolish by yourself. You'll be fine?" Hana asked skeptically, but behind her Ryohei gave Kyoya a wide, encouraging grin.

"Who do you think you're talking to?" Kyoya replied snootily, before he turned and set out into the building.

The moment he set foot inside, he was surrounded by stillness. Nothing moved, nothing made a noise. The gentle whirring of machinery that he'd heard outside was cut off. Up ahead, he spied a small panel on the floor, what looked like a button or a switch.

He stepped on it, and all of a sudden, everything came to life. The walls abruptly lit up, blinking lights of all colors and beeping at different tones. With a rumble and tremor, floor tiles began shifting, moving smoothly up and down, left and right in a dizzying manner. This building was clearly designed to confuse intruders. Too bad they hadn't planned for Kyoya.

Kyoya launched himself onto a rising tile and then started leaped from tile to tile, across large chasms people normally wouldn't have been able to cross. He bypassed many of the floor puzzles with ease, dodging strange traps and barreling through thin metal walls. For the average herbivore, perhaps the building would truly have been a deterrent for anyone trying to venture further. For Kyoya, everything was a mere annoyance at worst.

Finally, after practically crumpling a metal doorway with his tonfa, he sauntered into a large cavern, satisfied and sated from the reassuring solitude. All he needed now was a good fight.

Up ahead of him, a sheer, reflective metal surface shined, and from it a blinding white seal glowed. Kyoya's lips curled. Undoubtedly, with the other herbivores tagging along, the whole trip would have taken at least twice the time.

Kyoya walked towards the seal, palm outstretched. The surface of the wall was cold, sapping away the heat of his palm, and wind blew through several of the windows on the other sides of the large room. Kyoya could see blue sky and the occasional bird fly by.

He wondered how Hibird was doing. Hopefully Tetsuya was taking care of it.

Distantly, he heard something scraping against metal, the shrill screech of Oni that rattled in the metal chamber. Kyoya smirked, and his tonfa fell into his hands.

"Let's dance," he murmured with wicked glee, turning to find himself surrounded on all sides by Oni.

At first glance, all Kyoya could pick out was the typical writhing mass of bodies and checkered masks. However, occasionally he found the slick sharp glint of metal tipped claws, or a whole body covered in metallic hide.

It seemed that they had evolved. Which was fine with Kyoya, really.

He bared his teeth, firmed his ground, and then darted right into the throng of the fight.

Silver claws whistled through the air, and paws scrabbled on the ground. One particular Oni even dented part of a wall with its iron plated tail and roared. Kyoya whirled and kicked, a hurricane in human form, with the battle song in his heart.

It was here, in the clarity and haze of battle, when Kyoya finally settled into his skin for the first time since arriving in Nippon. He had a team that he could work with, but he could also fight independently, solve his own problems and pick his own fights. He could take charge, command a whole group, but that didn't chain him to them. He could wander, free as a bird, returning when he was needed or when he wanted. He was the strongest guardian, and working either alone or with others didn't change his character, nor did it change his role.

A true Cloud.

Kyoya flew through the Oni, and behind him he lay a wake of destruction. Distantly, he heard strange clanking, much more bulky than the smooth machinery he'd been listening to for the past hour.

Suddenly, there was a loud crash, and something large and grey burst through the doorway. It swung a mighty, robotic arm and swept the enemies off their feet. It aimed its other hand at them, and out burst a blast of wind, sharp enough to tear the masks from the Oni's faces. They dissolved into particles in the air.

Together, Kyoya and the mysterious arrival made short work of them.

Kyoya warily stood in front of the giant machine. It seemed distantly familiar.

Ah. Yes. He'd beaten something that looked just like the robot in front of him once into a pile of junk metal. What was it called again? Gollum Mustard?

The sound of echoing footsteps drew Kyoya's attention back towards the doorway. In it stood a tall man with blond hair that swirled into a strange whirlpool pattern on the side of his head. He clacked the lollipop in his mouth.

"Pretty impressive," he said, glancing at his machine. "Not many can go toe to toe with my Mosca."

Kyoya straightened. "Are you a metalworking herbivore?"

"Metalworking herbivore?" the man asked, taken aback, before shaking his head. "Who's asking?" the man asked insolently. He strode over to his machine and began inspecting it for damage.

Kyoya breathed in deeply. Patience. Think about how much Hana would screech if she found out he'd bitten a metalworker to death.

See? He was learning.

"I need to see the White Tiger," he said slowly. The man stiffened, hands stilling against one of the Mosca's large fingers. He turned, sharp green eyes meeting Kyoya's slate grey.

"And why do you need to see Byakko-sama?" he asked quietly, deceptively calmly. The Mosca began to whir to life again.

Kyoya tilted his head at the nonthreat. He'd torn apart a Mosca before. He could do it again.

"My name is Hibari Kyoya," he introduced. Hana would be proud at the amount of diplomacy he was showing, seriously. "And I am the Chosen One. I seek the White Tiger's aid in defeating Checker Face."

The man glanced around the room, taking in the aftermath of the battle. Deep scratches and dents marred almost every surface.

"The Oni have been getting even more unruly lately." He popped out another lollipop and clacked it against his teeth. "I suppose you're why. They've even started adapting to the terrain. Checker Face is getting stronger."

He scratched his head with a leather glove and propped the other hand against his green jumpsuit-clad hip.

"Alright. Did you come alone?"

Kyoya shook his head. "The rest of the party is at the entrance."

"I'll send Shoichi to get them, then," the mechanic murmured. He held out a hand. "My name's Spanner."

Kyoya stared down at the herbivore's hand. He took it slowly. Spanner grinned widely.

XxX

"What h-happened in here?!" The screech tore through what _had_ been a peaceful and amiable silence between Kyoya and Spanner.

Kyoya blinked a lazy eye open to find everyone starting to file into the room. At the front, a man dressed in flannel and glasses perched on his nose scrubbed his hand through his hair.

"Ah, there was a battle," Spanner replied unapologetically, still plopped in front of the Mosca and making small adjustments to something Kyoya had no interest in.

"And it was strong enough to scratch and dent the _steel floor_?!" the screeching herbivore asked, before clutching his stomach and paling. "Ugh…"

"Half of the damage is probably Hibari's fault," Hana said, a small smile ticking up her mouth, and she held out a hand. Kyoya considered it for a moment before taking it and tugging himself upright from where he'd been napping in a particularly warm spot of sun. "I see you didn't make a complete fool out of yourself."

Kyoya only gave a noncommittal 'hn' before tilting his head towards Spanner and completely ignoring the unfamiliar face. If there was anything Kyoya despised more than crowding herbivores, it was loud herbivores.

"Ah, Shoichi, I gather you've heard the whole sordid tale from your friends?" Spanner asked, already taking up position on one side of the room.

The engineering herbivore sighed. "Yeah. The whole thing's enough to make me nervous enough to vomit." He stood opposite of Spanner. "Think we'll need Giannini?"

Spanner snorted. "That lazy guy? Nah, we don't need him. Let's get this show on the road."

The metalworkers closed their eyes, and the ambient whirring died down. As they began chanting, and the white symbol started flaring bright, Daisy sidled up to Kyoya.

"I can't help but notice that most of the blockades to this room were completely smashed through, like a giant bull had gone on a rampage." Daisy shot him a look through his lank hair. "I think the purpose of the puzzles were to _solve them_ , not to annihilate them."

"Too long," Kyoya replied shortly, deadpan. On his other side, Hana didn't seem to know whether to laugh or facepalm.

"Your method EXTREMELY worked!" Ryohei whisper shouted.

" _Hair brained monkeys_ ," Hana scoffed, rolling her eyes, and Kyoko giggled helplessly into her hand.

With a final pulse of incandescent light, the seal shattered, and sparkles of white rained down on them. Spanner dusted off his hands. "Shoichi and I'll be waiting outside."

Daisy shuffled his feet and scowled at the metal floor. "I'll come with you. All this metal makes me uncomfortable."

"Oh? Where are you from?" Shoichi asked politely, and their voices faded as they left the large room.

Ryohei glanced at Kyoya and the two women. "You guys have been doing the shrine visiting together, right?" With a cheeky wink, Ryohei also turned heel and bounced out of the room. "Wouldn't want to EXTREMELY ruin a sacred tradition!"

"What tradition?" Hana screamed after him. "With _this_ guy?" She rudely jabbed a thumb at Kyoya, who only looked on, unmiffed.

"Well, it _is_ kind of nice doing this with just the three of us." Kyoko smiled shyly at Kyoya and Hana. "Together until the end, right?"

Something in Kyoya melted just a little, and he grunted and started making his way into the metal hallway. Behind him, he heard the women jogging to catch up with his long strides. They chattered a bit, at ease with each other. Kyoya missed Tetsuya, just a bit, but he supposed that the two women were adequate replacements.

Byakko's shrine was no less outstanding than Seiryuu's or Suzaku's, although in a much colder, more impersonal way. The shrine was made completely of gleaming silver, inlaid with gold and black accents cut harshly into the metal. The shrine itself was a smooth sheet of reflective silver, almost like a mirror, and carved into the silver surface was a pitch black tiger. Its black stripes seemed to move with every flicker of light, and its silver eyes glowed at Kyoya.

"Go ahead," Kyoko nudged gently, and Kyoya nodded. He strode forward and laid his palm against the tiger's flank.

Abruptly, the ground began to tremble, and thunder roared around him. Kyoko and Hana vanished into a whirlwind of shrapnel, travelling fast enough to shred flesh. White and silver coalesced in the middle of the air, and with a deafening roar, a white blur fell from the ceiling and landed with a shudder in front of Kyoya.

Byakko was large, with heaving sides and muscles rippling beneath its white and black fur. Blue eyes glowed from its face, and foxfire whirled around his paws and shoulders. Its maw opened, revealing razor sharp teeth and fangs the length of Kyoya's arm. It stepped forward with one large paw.

 ** _Welcome, Chosen One, to my abode_** **.** Its voice thundered, a deep and rumbling growl that vibrated through Kyoya's bones. **_I am the White Tiger of the West, Byakko. You have come to my shrine for my power and blessing._**

Kyoya inclined his head respectfully, but he didn't back down. One carnivore to another, in neutral territory. "I am Hibari Kyoya," he announced clearly.

 ** _As my brethren have told me. Seiryuu told me of a determined young man come to it for help, and Suzaku spoke of a troubled one. Yet here, in front of me, I see a man who has grown and matured, in mind and body both. You know your place in the world, no longer blinded by your own pride. I believe that you have what it takes to restore this land._**

Kyoya held out his hands as something shimmered into existence. It fell into his palm, cold and sharp enough to cut glass, a small intricately designed crystal with interlocking parts and miniscule bolts. Wind seemed to sweep throughout Kyoya's being, and he could see in his mind's eye the towering peaks of the mountains, the ores contained deep beneath them, the labor it took to mine them out and then melt them in the belly of the factory. The sheets and screws that were forged from the ore, the machinery that grew from callused hands.

 ** _I think you will accomplish great things, in both this land and your own when you return._** Byakko lowered its head, and its whiskers brushed the floor. **_Only one of my protectors, the metalworkers of this place, can wield the West Crystal. Your final destination is to the north, in the glaciers and ice caverns of the Black Tortoise of the North. I wish you well on your journey._**

"Wait." Kyoya clenched the West Crystal in his hand. "I will be going home, after this?"

Byakko blinked in surprise. **_Did you expect to stay in this land until your dying day?_**

Kyoya had known, distantly, that he'd return home. He just hadn't lent much thought to when or how. After he defeated Checker Face? After the land had been restored to its former glory? In five years, ten years? Would he return to a world grown older, Tetsuya having moved on from his high school committee, the baby boss having turned into a carnivore in his own right?

 ** _Ah, you doubt again, but this time, not in yourself. You miss your home._** Byakko sighed, and it laid on its stomach, paws sprawled regally to its side. It yawned. **_Do not concern yourself with this. When all is as it should be, you will know how, and when the time is right. For now, I advise you to concern yourself with the truth of this world._**

"The truth?"

 ** _You will see soon, Chosen One. I give my power, now make haste to Genbu's domain._**

With another roar, Byakko pounced into the air and disappeared mid-leap. The whirlwind of shrapnel also began to abate, and Kyoya found himself, once again, clutching the West Crystal and standing in front of an inert shrine.

What did Byakko mean, he would know how and when to go home? And what was the truth of this world?

"Did you get Byakko-sama's power?" Kyoko asked, breaking the silence.

Kyoya held out the metallic crystal wordlessly, handing it over to the princess before stalking away, mind whirling.

Was there more to this land, this whole adventure, than defeating Checker Face? He scowled, and curiosity tugged at him like a child tugged at the frayed thread of a scarf. Apparently, Kyoya could accomplish the first Chosen One, the baby boss, could not, and there was some truth buried deep within this whole thing.

He would have to investigate.

"What's up with you?" Hana asked. "You're unusually quiet, which is saying something since you say probably ten words on a good day."

Kyoya narrowed his eyes. "I have prey to catch."

When they finally made it outside the factory, past the busted open puzzle doors and over the shifting floor tiles, Kyoya was greeted by Spanner hovering over Daisy, eyes wide with an unholy maniacal gleam.

"The Millefiore are some of the most advanced magicians in Nippon!" Spanner said excitedly, and he clacked at his lollipop. "I have always held a fascination for magic!"

The redheaded herbivore had a resigned hand over his face. "Spanner, please calm down."

" _Magic_ ," Spanner insisted. "Show me something!"

Daisy, with a slightly concussed look, turned his hands into green claws. Beneath his feet, vines started sprouting and unceremoniously hauled Spanner's overbearing presence away from him.

 _"Amazing!_ "

"I admire your EXTREME enthusiasm! Although this is not magic of my own, but rather granted to me by Suzaku-sama, I can also wield magic!" Ryohei pumped his fists, which burst into red and blue flames.

"Oh dear kami," Hana whispered. Kyoya was sorely tempted to just leave everyone right there and continue on his own. As if reading his thoughts, Hana hissed, "Don't you dare. If I have to put up with this circus, so do you."

Kyoya sighed. Kyoko cleared her throat delicately and raised the West Crystal above her head. Like a magnet, Shoichi and Spanner swiveled their heads towards her, eyes fixed on the crystal.

"You got it!" the screeching herbivore said in delight.

 _"Magic_ ," Spanner enthused. He narrowed his eyes. "I want to try it."

Daisy gave a relieved sigh with the engineer's attention off of him and sidled further away from them.

Kyoko smiled indulgently at Spanner and handed over the crystal. The blond began inspecting it, turning it over and rubbing along the edges with a finger. After a moment, he sighed. "I can't feel anything from it."

"Maybe you're not the right person?" Kyoko suggested. Spanner spun to look accusingly at Shoichi and thrust his hand out.

"You try," he said challengingly. Shoichi eyed the crystal with no small amount of trepidation.

"I'd r-rather not," he stuttered. "Adventure isn't my thing."

"You don't know until you try it!" Spanner insisted and pushed the crystal into the screeching herbivore's hands.

"I _really_ don't want – eek!" The metallic crystal began glowing, and the ground beneath them rumbled. He flinched when the first sheet of metallic ore flew at him, shaping itself into a chest plate. All around them, the ground shook, and metals of all colors flew at him, shaping themselves into intricate screws and plates until the herbivore was covered from head to toe in armor.

" _So cool_ ," Spanner breathed enviously.

The large armored robot turned accusingly at Spanner. "This is _awful,_ not even a little bit cool!" The herbivore raised a giant hand and pointed accusingly at Spanner. "I'm not even a _fighter_ , and now I've been transformed into a giant fighting robot!"

Ryohei clapped the robot on the…hip and exclaimed, "I'm sure you'll get the hang of it in no time! We'll have EXTREME training sessions!"

A whimper was emitted from the armor.

"Take me with you!" Spanner demanded, scowling and clacking his lollipop against his teeth in irritation. "I want to see _magic._ "

Kyoya grudgingly began thinking of the squealing herbivore as Shoichi (and it really, truly pained him to do so…even the baby boss had more backbone than the engineer) and looked towards the north.

One more to go.

XxX

A/N: Thank you for reading! Feel free to leave a comment on your way out!

Sincerely,

haplesshippo


	5. The Black Tortoise

"My feet hurt," Shoichi muttered. "My legs are sore, and I can't even design anything out here. You should have taken Spanner, he's more suited to adventure than I am."

"The crystal chose you." Kyoya gave Shoichi the stink eye and inwardly agreed. Whining, squealing, weak herbivores truly weren't Kyoya's preferred company. In fact, he usually went out of his way to either bite them to death or avoid them at all costs. Yet, here he was.

Restraint didn't come easily to Kyoya.

Shoichi quailed under Kyoya's gaze and gave a small 'meep!'

"Don't scare the poor kid," Hana scolded, trying to hide her mirth behind a hand. "Not everyone's as big and tough as you are."

Kyoya grunted. It was true. Of the group, Kyoya was undoubtedly the strongest. "How long until we reach the north?"

Hana shrugged. "Whenever we start seeing the fjords and glaciers, I guess. We're already in mountainous area, it shouldn't be long. A week, at most."

"A week?" Shoichi squeaked.

Daisy gave a hissing laugh. "We'll shape you up in no time." No matter how much he tried to hide it, sadism was clearly in his blood.

"That's what I'm worried about," the engineer muttered unhappily.

Kyoya glanced behind him. Ryohei and Daisy began teasing the redhead, roughhousing with him in the name of 'training.' He wholeheartedly approved.

"It's nice we all get along together now," Kyoko commented lightly, a beatific smile on her face. Her hair was down, for once, and the wind played with the long strands. Her katana swung lightly at her side with each even step. "We didn't, at first, but I guess all it took was time."

"And a personality check for our esteemed leader," Hana interjected. Kyoya inwardly rolled his eyes.

"As I recall, I also had to lecture you for being unnecessarily harsh, too." Kyoko leapt up over a large rock with ease. Hana and Kyoya followed.

"Okay, a bit of a personality check for the both of us. You've changed too, Kyoko-hime," Hana said. Behind them were the sounds of Shoichi struggling over the rock and enthusiastic shouting from Ryohei. "Gotten a little braver, and a lot stronger too. I think you'll be a great empress."

Kyoko smiled shyly. "I guess this trip has changed all of us, in little bits."

Kyoya looked at the clear sky, framed by mountains. Birds soared overhead, occasionally blotting out the sun. Indeed, this world had changed Kyoya.

They continued in peaceful silence, surrounded by chirping of animals and rustling of the wind as they blew through cracks in the mountain.

"What is the truth of this world?" Kyoya asked suddenly.

Kyoko and Hana exchanged puzzled looks. "Truth of this world?" Kyoko tilted her head. "I'm not quite sure what you mean."

"Several Guardians mentioned finding the truth of this world, and doing something the first Chosen One could not accomplish," Kyoya explained.

Hana shrugged. "I haven't heard of anything like that. Legends only tell about how the first Chosen One, Sawada Tsunayoshi, sealed Checker Face beneath the palace with the help of the four Guardians."

"Tell me the legend again."

Hana glanced at Kyoko. The princess nodded.

"One thousand years ago, Nippon was ruled over by the four Guardians: the Azure Dragon of the East, Guardian of Spring and Protector of Wood; the Vermillion Phoenix of the South, Guardian of Summer and Bringer of Fire; the White Tiger of the West, Guardian of Autumn and Crafter of Metal; and the Black Tortoise of the North, Guardian of Winter and Keeper of Water. Together, they balanced the land. One day, however, an evil force rose in the very center of the land. Checker Face, with his corrupted power and army of Oni, sought to bring Nippon to ruin. The people and Guardians were powerless in the face of this great danger, as the people simply did not have the strength or power to fight it off, and the Guardians could not leave their territory or risk even greater harm befalling the land.

"One day, my great ancestors summoned a hero from another world. Sawada Tsunayoshi came to us, and together with several adventurers, traveled to each of the Guardians in quest for their blessing and power. He gathered the four powers, and with the support of every living creature in the land, sealed Checker Face beneath our royal palace in Namimori. With this great evil vanquished, he returned to his own world.

"All was peaceful, until one hundred years ago. While our land had always been plagued by Oni, their numbers rose, and their attacks became more vicious. My father investigated the great pillar that encaged Checker Face and found that the charms and seals had begun weakening. He began looking for a solution but died before we could find one. After searching for the ancient techniques that allowed us to call the first Chosen One to our land, I summoned you here.

"You know the rest of what has happened," Kyoko finished.

Kyoya mulled the legend over in his mind. Perhaps what the baby boss hadn't been able to do was kill Checker Face, and that was what was expected of him now. But how was that the truth of the land? Was there something more?

"You seem troubled," Hana said quietly.

Kyoya shook his head. Nothing he could do now, other than gather the last power.

Kyoko suddenly gasped, and pointed at the sky. "Look."

Above, ominous purple clouds that immediately reminded Kyoya of the pineapple herbivore began rolling in, a thick miasma that blocked out the sun and shrouded the mountains in shadow.

"That is not natural weather," Daisy said from behind them.

"Especially for this region of Nippon," Shoichi agreed. He glanced at the others. "Something has changed."

Kyoya's mind immediately leapt towards Namimori. Something had changed for the worse.

"We had best hurry," Ryohei said grimly.

XxX

Kyoya was almost certain that, had the sun been shining, the northern lands would have been a stunning sight. As it was, the fjord was a dull grey and blue. A wide river wound between sheer cliffs. Large icebergs tinted a deep, clear blue and threaded through with black sediment floated along gently. On both sides, towering mountains touched the sky, their tips capped with ice and snow. Occasionally, there was the distant sound of thunder as parts of glaciers fell into the river.

"The Black Tortoise's shrine is said to be deep within a glacier," Kyoko said, squinting through the murky darkness. "The entrance to the shrine changes each year, in accordance to the seasons and the melting of the ice, but I know we're looking for the biggest glacier that flows directly into the river."

It wasn't hard locating the glacier. It was giant, spanning at least a kilometer, with a cliff of clear, blue ice. As they approached, a large piece broke off and plummeted into the river with a roar. They approached on unsteady feet, Kyoko and Hana having to clasp hands to support each other. The rocky cliffside path had become icy and slick. Kyoya made sure to keep low to the ground, to stay more easily on his feet.

"You probably shouldn't use the South Crystal here," Daisy muttered before he frowned. "I won't be able to use mine, either. There's not much vegetation anywhere around here."

"And not much metal," Shoichi added. Between one blink and the next, he slipped and landed on his backside with a painful thud. "I don't like this place," he complained unhappily.

"There!" Hana pointed. Up ahead, there was a deep hole in the ice. "Do you think that's the entrance to the shrine?"

"There's only one way to find out. Let's-" Kyoko began, but Kyoya suddenly threw out a hand. Kyoko obligingly stopped talking and immediately laid her hand on her katana.

There was the faint crunch of metal on rock. In a flash, Kyoya threw out his tonfa in the direction of the sound. Metal smacked into flesh, and an alarmed yell emitted from just over the ridge of the glacier.

Kyoya pounced, leaping over the ridge and directly onto the intruder. He tackled the woman to the ground, but swift as a snake, the woman twisted out of Kyoya's grip and fanned a pair of gunbai defensively. He ducked the blow, popping up inside the woman's arms and resting his tonfa threateningly on her throat.

"Who are you?" he asked quietly, dangerously. The woman only tilted her chin before bringing a knee up. Kyoya dodged to the side and whipped out a leg, making her grunt when she took the full force of the kick and launching her into the side of the glacier. Ice cracked and crumbled beneath her weight.

"I do not like repeating myself," he threatened.

"Stop!"

Kyoya drew back, eyes warily on the woman while he stooped to pick up his previously thrown tonfa. He glanced at the newcomer. He had familiar red hair and reminded Kyoya of the little baby boss.

"Enma?" Kyoko, who had managed to catch up to Kyoya and had scrambled over the ridge, gasped.

"Kyoko," the newcomer, Enma, greeted. He turned his red eyes on Kyoya and the woman and said, more softly but no less forcefully, "Stand down. Adelheid, I know them."

The woman cracked her neck but nonetheless snapped her gunbai shut. She stalked towards Enma and stood behind him without a word, although the unhappy set of her mouth spoke plenty.

"Enma," Kyoko said again, warmly, and she began grinning widely. "I haven't seen you in years!"

"Aa," Enma replied with his own smile. "It's been a while."

"Good to see you're still alive, brat," Hana said.

"Hana-san, Ryohei-san." Enma bowed, and Kyoya remembered that this was the baby boss of the Simon famiglia. Kyoya sheathed his tonfa, sensing that violence and threat were no longer on the horizon.

"It's EXTREMELY good to see you, little bro!" Ryohei exclaimed, bounding up to clap Enma mightily on the shoulder. Adelheid gave Ryohei a dirty look, and Ryohei turned his blinding grin on her. "And it's good to see you too, Adel!"

"Adelheid," she hissed back.

"What are you doing here?" Enma said, ignoring the ensuing squabble between them.

Kyoko sighed. "Checker Face has been released. We're on a quest to gather the four Guardian's powers and seal Checker Face once again."

"Ah, I gathered." Enma glanced at the sky and said grimly, "While this weather is not particularly unusual, its severity and persistent nature is. Oni attacks have also been increasing in frequency."

"We've had our hands full protecting the shrine," Adelheid explained, finally managing to disengage herself from Ryohei. "The rest of the Simon grow fatigued from their assault."

"It's gotten that bad?" Hana asked, alarmed, to which Enma nodded.

"Adelheid and I had been patrolling when we came upon your group," he replied. Adelheid shot Kyoya a narrow look but nodded.

"You are the Chosen One?" she asked.

"Hibari Kyoya," he introduced. Enma held a hand out, and Kyoya shook it. This Enma was significantly more hardened than the baby boss in his world. His red eyes gleamed gold with an inner fire, and he held himself straight and tall, unlike his counterpart's hunched posture.

"Might as well follow us, then. We will lead you directly to Genbu-sama," Enma said. They turned and disappeared between a crack in the ice.

"This troubles me," Kyoko admitted quietly as they trailed behind the two Simon. "Even the Simon, some of the strongest warriors in Nippon, are struggling against Oni attacks."

"How do you know him?" Shoichi asked as he, once again, slid precariously down the slope of ice. Daisy sighed as the engineer crashed directly into him but held both of them steady. For someone who lived in the forest, Daisy was surprisingly adept at navigating the glacier.

"He used to come down to Namimori all the time for playdates," she explained cheerily. "I think my parents wanted to arrange us in a marriage, but they finally gave up on that when they realized Enma would have his hands full protecting the northern shrine, and I would be needed in Namimori. He continued to visit us every several years."

"She has a crush on him," Hana whispered loudly. Enma's ears were tinged red, though whether that was because he'd heard or because of the chill was debatable.

"I do not!" Kyoko flushed tellingly, and Ryohei chuckled lowly.

"You EXTREMELY do!"

"Do not! Brother, do not spread rumors!"

"It's not a rumor if it's true."

Kyoya raised an eyebrow, seeing the princess truly flustered for the first time since they set out on this journey.

"We're here," Enma announced overly loudly, and he averted his eyes from their party as he showed them into a large cavern. A small stream rushed through it, bisecting it diagonally, and black threaded its way across the walls and floor. Opposite of the opening, a large blue seal pulsed hypnotically. "Take care where you step, or you may end up with freezing water in your shoes."

"We'll need more than the two of us to-" Adelheid began before she snapped her head sideways. A large thump, followed by an alarming cracking, caught all of their attentions.

"Shit!" A man crashed straight through one face of the cavern, showering them all with shards of ice. Through the wall, there was a screech, and then Oni began flooding through it, a tangle of molasses and contorting limbs. Their bodies were dusted with frost, and several even had icicles dripping from their maws.

"Julie!" Adelheid snapped, reaching forward and dragging the man out of the stream. "The glacier is already damaged enough from the Oni, do not add to it!"

"I didn't do it on purpose!" he protested, before his eyes landed on Kyoko and Hana. "Ah, ladies!"

Adelheid smacked him on the head and, with a metallic shnick, unfolded her gunbai. "Pay attention, you womanizer. We have a battle on our hands."

Enma frowned and pulled a pair of gauntlets on his hands. "Indeed we do."

"Wait, but I can't fight!" Shoichi's protest was lost in the ensuing battle. He cursed and pulled several pieces of metal out from a pouch of his belt, and with a shine from the West Crystal, the metal assembled themselves into what seemed suspiciously like a gun. He aimed it into the crowd of Oni shakily, before he breathed deeply and firmed his grasp, determination flashing through his eyes.

Kyoya smirked. Not a complete herbivore when it mattered, then.

Kyoya flew into the fray, dancing with Adelheid and Kyoko in a whirl of lethal metal, masters of battle. Blue arrows and metallic shrapnel sliced past them, landing with pinpoint accuracy in the middle of masks, shattering them. Ryohei and Enma brandished their fists, and Kyoya suddenly felt like he was flying through the air, with no gravity holding him down. He distantly remembered that Enma had power over gravity, and with a small adjustment, tore the Oni to shreds. Julie curled his fingers into hooks, and over them crawled a pair of glittering claws made of ice, and Daisy hissed with his green scale covered arms.

With their combined strength, the battle quickly dwindled. Kyoya straightened, dusting himself of frost and bits of ice, when Daisy said, "Well, that wasn't so bad." He cracked his neck, somewhat disappointed at how quickly the battle had ended.

A roar muffled by meters of eyes met their ears, and Shoichi shot the Millefiore member a dirty look. "You just had to say that, didn't you?"

"I had seen something larger than the other Oni, and more powerful," Julie said grimly. "It might be heading for us."

"We need to get you into the shrine," Enma decided. He glanced at the other two Simon and jerked his head. "With the Black Tortoise's help, perhaps we'll stand a greater chance against whatever made that noise."

"Now?" Julie scrambled to the other side of the room, sliding into position. With Adelheid, the three made a rough triangle.

"As soon as possible," Enma replied shortly. He began chanting, and the other two's voices joined his.

A rhythmic thumping joined their drone, and cracks began spider webbing on one side of the cavern as something slammed into the ice, trying to break through.

"We need to hold whatever that is off while they finish unlocking the seal," Ryohei said grimly. He cracked his bandaged fingers.

Kyoya narrowed his eyes. Ice shards began dropping from the wall, and the cracks deepened with each thump.

"Hurry," Kyoko hissed under her breath, glancing desperately at Enma.

Suddenly, the seal gleamed and grew incandescent before shattering. The wall melted, and behind it a small tunnel led into darkness.

"Leave whatever's coming through to us," Adelheid said, attention turned towards the collapsing wall. "Go!"

"Let's go!" Hana shouted, grabbing Kyoko's arm. Kyoya sprinted after them. Behind them, they heard the wall shatter, and a deafening roar shook the ice.

Together, they raced down the tunnel and burst into the cavern housing the shrine. Ice glittered all around them, lit from inside by blue and black, and great icicles hung from the ceiling. Ahead, a jagged hunk of ice stuck directly upwards, and carved into the front was a great, spiked tortoise with a snake rising from behind it. The shrine was slick with half melted water, and the tortoise gleamed at them.

Without hesitation, Kyoya laid his hand on the icy surface.

A freezing wind grew, erasing the world from around him. Snow floated down, and frost coated Kyoya's clothes and body. Every exhalation of breath was a mist of white, and crystalline particles glittered with mesmerizing beauty from the whirl of snow and ice.

Genbu grew with a burst of frost, and from behind it rose a great snake, fangs gleaming with venom and skin black as pitch. The tortoise's shell was spiked, and its jagged beak was set below gleaming black eyes. It swung its head towards Kyoya, and with the snake, spoke in harmony, a deep rumbling offset by hissing.

Welcome, Chosen One, to by abode. I am the Black Tortoise of the North, Genbu, and last Guardian of your journey.

"I need your power," Kyoya said without preamble. Urgency raced along with his thoughts, and he raised his chin. He had people depending on him, and for the first time, it was not battle he was thinking of, but rather the haste needed to protect them from whatever great beast was threatening them. To guard his herd and ensure survival.

And you shall have it. I sense within you strength in battle, and responsibility for your allies. You came to this world thinking only of the thrill of the fight and the unworthiness of everyone around you, yet you come to my shrine only thinking to protect your companions. You have grown, Chosen One, and are truly worthy of my power. I give it to you, with my blessing.

Genbu lowered its head and breathed. White plumed out, and within it something white and blue glittered. The North Crystal fell into Kyoya's hand with icy coldness, smooth and slick. Something great shifted, and Kyoya could feel the cracking of the slow moving but relentless glacier, pressurized beneath tons of ice and breaking into pieces. He felt the cycle of summer and winter, of the ice melting and freezing a thousand times, of sparkling blue and white beneath the sun. He could taste the chill of fresh snow on the tip of his tongue.

Genbu opened its beak in an approximation of an encouraging smile.

Only one of the Simon may use the North Crystal. Make haste towards your companions, and ask the Simon of their legends. They house the knowledge that will help you save this land.

Kyoya nodded. Genbu lowered his head as he began disappearing and the winds died down.

Good luck on the final leg of your journey, Chosen One.

He blinked, and when he managed to focus his eyes again, he was met with Kyoko's and Hana's worried faces.

"Did you get it?" Kyoko asked anxiously.

"Let's go," Kyoya answered, and together, they dashed back through the tunnel. With each step, the sound of fighting grew louder, accompanied by resounding roars.

The moment Kyoya made it through the tunnel, he swept his eyes around the battlefield.

Julie was collapsed by a wall, his forehead bleeding sluggishly as he struggled to stand again. His glasses were cracked through. Before him, Shoichi stood, mouth firmed and both hands gripped upon his weapon. He fired, and shrapnel shot out of the barrel. Ryohei was barely standing, hair damp from sweat and ice, and Daisy was relatively unscathed but fatiguing quickly.

Enma and Adelheid were breathing heavily, exhausted but unrelenting in their attack.

And before them stood a large Oni, its coat covered in frost, large, gleaming blue teeth dripping from its maw, looming over the party. It crooked a large ear towards Kyoya, and when it turned its head, it focused two blue white eyes on them through its mask. It stepped forwards, one large paw slamming against the ground.

Kyoya quickly made a decision, eyed Adelheid, and threw the North Crystal. Her eyes widened before realization dawned, and she caught the crystal easily. Immediately, ice began forming along her gunbai, and she pocketed the crystal, nodding to Kyoya in acknowledgement.

The battle began in earnest again. Kyoko rushed forward with a fierce battle cry, katana already swinging and slicing deep into the giant Oni's leg. It screamed and swung its ice covered tail. Kyoko vaulted over it, trailing the edge of her blade over the ice, but she barely scratched it.

"The ice is too hard to cut through!" Enma called.

"Then how are we supposed to defeat it?" Hana shouted back, fingers clinging onto the string of her bow before she released her arrow.

Kyoya gripped his hand into the Oni's fur and climbed onto its back with a mighty heave. He brought his tonfa down on the mask, beneath which a small crack formed. The Oni shook its head in irritation, and Kyoya had to leap off as it rammed its head against a wall. It roared again and opened its jaw. Blue and white began gathering deep within its throat, and Kyoya knew that whatever it was doing, they couldn't afford to weather its attack.

"Adel!" Enma screamed.

Suddenly, a giant icicle buried itself straight into the Oni's mouth, and it choked, its jaws held open by the obstacle.

"If we can't cut through it," Adelheid said calmly, her weapons spread wide and eyes narrowed, another icicle already forming above her shoulder. She slid her feet out, and power began gathering around her gunbai. "Then we'll shatter it!"

With a shout, she cut through the air with her blades, and ice shards flew towards the Oni with alarming speed. It shredded through the Oni's skin, and from each cut frost formed, then pure blue and black ice began to spread. The Oni thrashed, but the ice was relentless. It began immobilizing its legs first, then its writhing tail, and finally its head.

Adelheid ran towards the Oni and struck the ice above its mask. A millisecond later, the whole Oni shattered, a million pieces of shining black ice floating in the air. Its mask burst, and with it its body exploded with the ice. She landed in the middle of the carnage, and parts of the Oni began dissolving into the air.

Adelheid swayed, and Enma caught her as her knees buckled.

"Amazing," Enma breathed. He glanced around at the exhausted group. "We best rest up. I assume Adel will be accompanying you on your journey, but you are all weary from your travels. Our outpost is nearby."

Tension bled from Kyoya's shoulders, and he nodded. Even the best of fighters needed to rest.

XxX

A/N: Thanks for reading! Only one more chapter to go. Comments and criticism welcome, as usual.

Sincerely,

haplesshippo


	6. The End

Kyoya sat in front of a flickering fireplace, the flames within steadily fed by wood. He held a book between his hands, and he scanned through the words quickly.

"Find anything?" Enma asked quietly. He had a thick blanket draped on his shoulders, and he settled into the other armchair. He also pulled a thick, dusty tome into his lap.

Kyoya narrowed his eyes. "Not yet."

The Simon outpost was a large log cabin on the edge of the glacier, set on stable mountain. Only one other member, Aoba Koyo, had been present at the cabin, and he had let them in after a large amount of complaining. Thankfully, he'd quickly been preoccupied by Ryohei, and they soon set off to compete in…something. Kyoya wasn't quite sure, and he had no inclination to find out.

The rest had quickly been given a tour of the facilities, but Kyoya had immediately wheeled around on Enma.

"I need to know of your legends," he had demanded, quietly, so that nobody else could hear. They deserved to rest, but Kyoya needed to be prepared, and if Genbu had instructed him to ask the Simon, then he'd do so.

"Pardon?" Enma blinked.

"Your legends," Kyoya had repeated impatiently. "The truth of this land. A story untold. Anything."

"I have no idea what you speak of," Enma began slowly. After a moment's pause, he said, "But I can direct you towards our library. Our ancestors were all historians, and they recorded each moment in history in our annals."

"Take me there," Kyoya had instructed.

He'd been reading for hours since, yet he still hadn't found anything of this 'truth' the Guardians had spoken of. He snapped the book shut.

"What, exactly, are you looking for?" Enma asked. Between, the fire crackled merrily, and Kyoya yearned for a nap. Not yet, though, not until he had an answer.

"Anything about the first Chosen One," Kyoya replied. "Sawada Tsunayoshi and his adventures. Anything that doesn't agree with the legends they tell in Namimori."

Enma fell silent, and he gazed into the fire. He fiddled with a page of his tome, and he closed his eyes and breathed deeply.

"Did you know, long ago, our tribe used to live in Namimori?" he asked quietly. When he opened his eyes again, they gleamed gold. He gently set aside his tome and laced his fingers together. "We traveled to the north because one of my ancestors was left the capital, and he moved here."

Enma rose and disappeared into the stacks of their library. He reappeared shortly after, holding an old, leather-bound journal. He held it reverently, carefully, and handed it to Kyoya. Kyoya took it delicately.

"When you asked for the truth, I gathered that this is what you wanted. However, I was reluctant to part with the secrets of my family. Now, though, I realize that this information may be crucial for you." Enma sat back in his armchair, legs curled in front of him. "This is Simon Cozarto's journal. He once served as a royal retainer at the palace. Within his journal holds his memories."

Wordlessly, Kyoya opened the cover, and began reading.

XxX

 _I warned Giotto of the possible repercussions of his actions. Unfortunately, my dear friend is too idealistic, and he holds great dreams. Uniting all of Nippon under one banner is a great feat, yet nigh impossible. The Millefiore of the east are isolated and fear outsiders. The protectors of the south are hard to find, and even harder to persuade to join our kingdom. The west holds the greatest innovators, and they pose the most resistance, with their weapons and great defenses. The nomads of the north are reclusive as well and value their freedom, and they will not concede easily to being ruled over._

 _Giotto is stubborn and hardheaded, and he believes that he needs more power to unite Nippon, to demonstrate that he has the means to protect and serve the people. This ritual, this summoning that will pull a great power to this land, may unbalance the world. Our land is balanced by all five Guardians, yet Giotto wants to tip the scales. He is insistent on proceeding with the ritual to bring a greater power to this land, and he needs my aid._

 _I will not give it to him. Tomorrow, I have decided to leave this land and journey north. Hopefully, my absence will be deterrent enough. I deeply cherish my dear friend, and it is because of this that I refuse to allow him to proceed with the summoning._

 _I fear the consequences of Giotto's plan._

 _I am en route to the north. I hear that it is beautiful at the glaciers this time of year. Hopefully, I will find a nomadic tribe willing enough to accept an outsider._

 _I pray that Giotto does not proceed with the ritual._

 _Today, Giotto attempted the summoning. I could feel it deep within my bones, and the messenger who visited me only confirmed my suspicions. I don't know if he found a replacement for me, nor do I know if he deemed the number of retainers he had was enough. All I know is that someone, or something not natural has arrived in this land._

 _I only hope that disaster will not befall us all._

 _Something has happened._

 _A great wave of dark energy erupted from the south this morning. It is steadily spreading, and dark clouds have begun rolling in from Namimori. We have also come across the strangest of creatures, seemingly made of pitch darkness with checkered masks upon their heads. They do not die until these masks are shattered, and when they are defeated they leave no trace of their presences behind._

 _These are ominous signs. Our tribe has been attacked many times already._

 _I warned Giotto. I told him to be content with what power he had, but he has gone and unbalanced our whole nation._

 _Today, a messenger arrived from Namimori. They speak of the disappearance of the great Yellow Chimera, and my dearest friend, Giotto, has fallen in battle. Today, I mourn for the loss of my longest and closest friend, and I mourn the fate of Nippon._

 _I fear what will happen now._

 _A stranger visited the Black Tortoise's shrine. He was a young man, and he claimed to be pulled from another land. He was accompanied by G, and several of the protectors of the other shrines. They have all gathered to defeat Checker Face, the great evil I sensed months ago and the one who felled Namimori and Giotto._

 _It is ironic that this young man, the very power that Giotto pulled from another land and caused this destruction, should unite Nippon against the very evil caused by his presence._

 _Tomorrow, I shall bring this young man, by the name Sawada Tsunayoshi, to Genbu-sama's shrine, and then I will go with him to Namimori to avenge my friend. This is my last entry, and I pass this journal to my descendants, so that they may know the truth of what has happened._

XxX

Kyoya shut the journal quietly, mind whirring. The baby boss had never been summoned for the purpose of defeating Checker Face, but rather uniting Nippon. Sawada's foreign presence in Nippon had unbalanced the land, thus giving birth to Checker Face. There was a fifth Guardian, the Yellow Chimera, who disappeared when Checker Face appeared. Together, with the four Guardians, Sawada had managed to seal the great evil.

The puzzle pieces began clicking together in his mind, and Kyoya finally grasped the truth.

"The Yellow Chimera…" Kyoya said quietly, and Enma nodded.

"I've had my suspicions as well." Enma met Kyoya's eyes. "You now know the truth. Giotto brought ruin upon Nippon, but the first Chosen One united the land."

Kyoya rose. "We must leave."

"Tomorrow." Enma stood, still wrapped in his blanket, and met Kyoya's glare fearlessly. "Everyone is tired from the weeks of journey. You can afford one night to recover, and tomorrow we will provide you with our fastest horses."

Kyoya hesitated, but finally relented. Tomorrow they would set out. The end was in sight.

XxX

"I've never heard of a fifth Guardian," Kyoko said. Her horse nickered softly, and she patted it absently. The Simon had gifted them with fantastic beasts, necks thick with muscles and manes wild in the wind, capable of lessening several weeks' of journey into only one.

Beside her, Adelheid shook her head, her long hair floating in the breeze. "It is ancient history, a thousand years old. It is no wonder that, even at the seat of its power, the Yellow Chimera's story has faded."

They approached the ruins of Namimori slowly. On the way, they had passed several camps of Namimori's residents. They had cheered with the return of their princess and the Chosen One, relief in their cries and hope in their eyes. Currently their party had stopped for last minute preparations.

Kyoya was perched in a tree, away from the commotion. He needed time to gather himself, a small reprieve from the constant company he'd recently had. Companions, even friends, they had all been, but Kyoya had always been, by nature, a solitary creature.

He gazed over the ruined city of Namimori. A dark black haze had descended, and Oni swarmed within it. Their faces flickered in the shadows, and occasionally an eerie shriek echoed through the fog.

He cocked his head, a plan already formulating in his head.

If his suspicions were correct, they couldn't fight this battle on only one side. They would need a two pronged attack, one to create a distraction and focus Checker Face's attention on them, and one to head directly to the shrine and focus their power on the obsidian shrine Kyoya had remembered seeing his very first day in this land.

He centered himself, and felt the age old anticipation for battle rise deep within. He dropped to the ground.

"We head out," Kyoya said.

Hana nodded. Her head was raised high, fire burning in her eyes. "The last leg of our journey."

"Hopefully, this will all be over soon," Kyoko agreed. She turned and hugged her brother fiercely. Ryohei clutched her little sister back. "Good luck, big brother."

"Stay safe," Ryohei said, and he looked in Kyoya's eyes. "Keep her safe."

Kyoya nodded. "Stay vigilant." He met each of the protector's eyes.

Daisy, who had never failed in battle, who carried the gift of life in his veins. Ryohei, with fire burning in his blood and a war cry forever at his lips. Shoichi, so fearful of battle but with enough strength to do what needed to be done. And Adelheid, as fierce and skilled in battle as Kyoya, iron resolve in her very bones and hands.

"Good luck, Chosen One," Daisy said quietly.

Kyoya set out towards the ruined city, Kyoko and Hana flanking him, as the others moved to circle around the city and sneak covertly into the shrine.

XxX

It wasn't hard to stir trouble. All Kyoya needed to do was defeat one Oni, and its defeated cries drew even more towards them. Soon, they were surrounded on all sides, but where they had had trouble at the beginning of their quest defeating their enemies, now they were practiced. Kyoya covered for Hana, cutting through his enemies and obliterating anything that dared to come close to the archer. Hana's arrows flew true, felling Oni with every sweep of her hand. Kyoko was stalwart as a rock, positioned near Hana and bisecting masks, ferocity in every movement. They worked seamlessly as one unit, so used to fighting alongside each other that it had become second nature.

Not even five minutes had passed when the ground rumbled. The ground erupted, and dirt showered them.

Checker Face rose, even larger than before. Its thin tail whipped through the air, and its great horns swept through the miasma like a bull's. Its skeletal wings spread, creaking like the unoiled hinges of a door, and its checkered skin rippled over muscle. It bared its teeth, dripping with saliva, and every drop that landed on the ground gave birth to a new Oni. Its eyes glowed from behind its mask.

 ** _Back again, Chosen One?_** It laughed, a roar screech that echoed among the Oni, each chattering with amusement. **_Was your first defeat not enough? If so, I shall give you the permanent end you so crave!_**

"You will not defeat us," Kyoko said resolutely, a lioness facing down a greater foe with no hesitation. "We will defeat you, and you shall not terrorize Namimori anymore."

 ** _So confident! The little heiress believes she can overcome my power!_**

"She is not alone," Hana said. She raised her bow, and the tip of her arrow pointed directly at the giant, looming mask.

 ** _Ah yes! The rest of your troupe. My Oni have reported that you visited each of the shrines, yet you have none of the crystals with you. Did they flee, knowing that your cause was hopeless?_** Checker Face brought down a large, clawed hand, and earth rumbled and rolled. It lowered its great head. **_Were you too proud to ask for help, little Chosen One? Did you think you could finish this on your own? My chains have been shattered, and I am free to roam now._**

"Why haven't you?" Kyoya asked, quietly, but Checker Face heard nonetheless. The great beast cocked its head quizzically. He smirked tauntingly. "You have been free to leave Namimori for at least a month now, yet you still remain here. Why is that?"

Checker Face shook its head, as if to ward off a buzzing fly. **_I…to see your defeat here! I knew you would return, and-_**

"You remain here because of something else," Kyoya continued steadily. He took a step forward, tonfa still gripped in his hands. Sweat slicked the handles, yet he remained firm. Tension rocketed through his body. "Did this used to be your home?"

 ** _I had no home before…!_**

"Before what? What were you before you were Checker Face?"

Checker Face screamed, in anger or agony Kyoya could not tell. Black lightning flashed between its horns, and it stomped its great feet. The ground tremored, and Kyoya had to leap aside as the ground he was standing on caved in.

 ** _I will defeat you here!_**

Black energy crackled up Checker Face's arms, and it _roared_ , deafening and so loudly it drowned out all other noise.

What followed, even Kyoya could not tell clearly. The usual lust for battle was tinged with desperation, and fear was accompanied with determination. He fought as he had never fought before, thinking only to protect the two women covering his back. He ducked and dodged, struck Oni in the mask and deflected blows aimed at his head. He leapt between unstable ground, and he distracted Checker Face so that its attention was only on him, not the women.

Dust mixed with sweat and blood caked his skin, yet Kyoya did not relent. Checker Face swept out his arms, and Kyoya caught the blow, managing to halt its momentum. He ran up the arm and directly began attacking Checker Face's mask. Arrows flew at the cracks Kyoya made, furthering the small spider webbing already edging around the hard material.

There was a whir of movement, and suddenly, Kyoya was flying through the air, thrown off Checker Face's head. He braced himself for impact, and…

Suddenly, vines sprung _from Checker Face's body,_ wrapping around it and restricting its movement.

 ** _What is this…!_**

Fire slammed into its mask, and it howled in agony. Giant icicles pierced its hide, and large missiles made of shrapnel shredded its skin.

 ** _You did not harness their power!_** Checker Face howled.

Kyoya smirked, proud. "We did. Your pride and confidence assumed that you were mightier still, and this was your undoing."

All around them, the Guardians shimmered into being. Seiryuu, a sinuous, blue body writhing in the sky. Suzaku, wings flared wide and breathing red blue fire. Byakko, claws unsheathed and metallic armor over its limbs. Genbu, hard spiked shell and snake hissing. They roared, and Checker Face roared back.

"They made it to the shrine," Hana breathed, and she stumbled against upturned earth. Dirt streaked through her hair, yet she looked fierce and triumphant.

 ** _Checker Face, it is time for you to sleep. Leave this land._** Kyoya did not know who had spoken, or perhaps the Guardians had spoken simultaneously. He shuffled, legs shaking uncontrollably from exhaustion. He was surprised at toll the battle had taken on his body, and his arms shook from exertion, although he kept a firm grip on his tonfa.

 ** _Do you know who you speak to?_** Checker Face raked its claws against the ground, yet Byakko froze the ground, and Seiryuu's vegetation firmed it.

 ** _I speak to the one who was once the wisest, the mightiest of us all. I speak to Kirin, the Yellow Chimera, swallowed by imbalance yet still residing deep within your soul._**

 ** _Kirin is dead!_** The giant demon's cry was anguished.

 ** _Perhaps asleep, but not yet deceased._**

The four Guardians began glowing suddenly, and their transparent forms whirled and rushed at Checker Face. It roared.

 ** _This cannot be happening! I will not be defeated! For too long I have slumbered, and I will not be taken down here…!_**

Multicolored lights whirled from Checker Face's body, drowning the darkness and strangling it. Around them, the Oni screamed as they dissolved into bright white spores. The intensity of the light increased, and Kyoya had to avert his eyes.

"Do you think…?" Hana trailed off.

"We've won." Kyoko breathed out in relief. "We've won."

The light coalescing around Checker Face shattered. Standing, proud and regal, where Checker Face had been, was a green and yellow creature, with a large yellow horn extending from its forehead and a thin tail tipped in flowing, green yellow fur. Its hooves touched the ground delicately, and long whiskers flowed from above its bearded mouth. It had a reptilian head, yet a body like a horse, covered in white and yellow fur and scales.

 ** _I am the Yellow Chimera, Kirin, Guardian of balance and earth. I thank you, Chosen One, for awakening me and drawing me out of my darkness._** It closed its eyes and bowed low. **_I had been driven to madness by the imbalance of the world, yet now I have been restored. The people of this land, my brethren, and I owe you a great debt and thanks._**

"Kirin," Kyoko breathed. She bowed. "I am Kyoko, princess of Namimori." She smiled, and when she straightened, her eyes twinkled despite the wreckage surrounding them, regal and every bit the empress she would become. A lioness, strong and undefeatable. "I welcome you home."

Kirin touched her gently on the head with its muzzle and replied, **_I am grateful to be home._**

"Hibari!"

There was the faint sound of squabbling, and Shoichi scrambled over a bit of earth with Daisy's help. Ryohei and Adelheid were not far behind.

"We did as you told us," Shoichi panted, finally coming to a stop before them. "We combined our powers, and suddenly the Crystals all flew out of our hands and disappeared! We didn't know what happened, so we came back, and…and…" He gaped at the giant Guardian before him.

The Kirin made an amused sound. **_I also owe the protectors of the shrines thanks, for you have been invaluable._**

"Then Nippon will be restored?" Adelheid asked. She stared up with wide eyes, awe in her gaze.

Kirin shook its large head regretfully. **_Returning the land to its former glory will take decades, but the first step has already been taken. Checker Face has been vanquished, and balance is restored. There is only one thing left to do._** It turned to look Kyoya in the eyes, and he immediately knew what it spoke of.

"Home."

 ** _Home._** Kirin raised its head, and from the tip of its horn a bright yellow and brown light began to shine. It touched the horn to the ground, and before their eyes, a hole, much like the one Kyoya remembered seeing in the middle of his living room from so many months ago, grew.

Kami, but it felt like _years_ since he'd arrived. He found that he would miss it.

 ** _It is time for you to return._**

"Now?" Kyoko asked, and much to Kyoya's surprise, her eyes were glittering with unshed tears. "Must it happen now? So abruptly?"

 ** _Should he tarry, the world may become unbalanced again. He cannot stay._**

Kyoya stared at the hole that would take him home. Yearning tore through him, yet sadness lingered as well. Sadness at leaving this beautiful land, full of lush forests and grand mountains, sadness for parting with friends he would never have thought he'd made, whom he had labeled has herbivores before they proved to be as much of predators as he was.

"It was an EXTREME pleasure fighting with you," Ryohei said.

"I will make sure that your story will be written in Enma's journal, and your feats will not be forgotten." Adelheid gave him an acknowledging nod.

Daisy shrugged and twirled a string of hair between his fingers. "This whole experience was unexpected fun. Good luck on getting back home."

"We didn't fight for long together, but it was thanks to you that I'm more comfortable with fighting, I guess." Shoichi quickly waved his hands. "Not that I like fighting!"

Kyoya nodded to each of them, and then he turned to Kyoko and Hana.

Kyoko bowed again, almost horizontal with the ground. When she straightened, she gave him a watery smile and sniffed. "It feels a bit abrupt, this ending, but I guess this must happen. I…" Suddenly, she threw herself at Kyoya, and Kyoya managed to lift his arms to catch her as she hugged him. He blinked, bewildered, unsure of where to put his hands. People didn't often hug him, but…

He laid his hands gently on her back.

"I must thank you as well," Kyoya said quietly. Further words didn't need to be spoken aloud.

Kyoko sniffled again, and when she drew away, she was replaced by Hana. Hana glared at him, steely.

"Don't you dare regress to some monkey only focused on himself and fighting," she threatened, "or else I'll come through a wormhole and personally bite you to death."

Kyoya's lips quirked in amusement, and he tilted his head upwards arrogantly. "I invite you to try."

Hana sniffed condescendingly. "Go on, then."

Kyoya gave them another sweeping look, memorizing each face. He wondered if any of their resolve, their bravery and innovation, their compassion and fighting potential resided in their counterparts in his world. Perhaps they would not be the friends he made here, but he could always make more connections.

"Let me go home."

Kirin nodded. **_Goodbye, Chosen One._**

He turned and gazed fondly at the group he was leaving behind. Right before he was tugged in, he said loudly, "Thank you. And goodbye."

The hole flared, and light shone from deep within its depths. It blinded him, and when he blinked the spots from his eyes, he was greeted by the familiar sight of his living room. The sun was just sinking outside of his window. The wind ruffled the papers on his table (whole, unharmed from his last attack), and beside them, his phone blinked. His cup of tea sat within arm's length, still steaming, still untouched.

So little, yet so much, had changed.

The same date, the same time before he had left. No time had passed during his adventures in another world. Yet, Kyoya could feel the exhaustion of battle, the new strength in his muscles, and lessons learned from another world.

Hibird flitted into the living room, chirping in alarm and chittering when it landed on Kyoya's shoulder. Kyoya reached up to stroke its head.

On the table, his cellphone rang. Kyoya flipped it open to see that the baby boss was calling him.

"Tsunayoshi," he answered.

There was an alarmed noise, as if the baby boss hadn't expected him to pick up. "H-Hibari-san! I'm sorry to disturb you but…eek!" There was the distant sound of something exploding, and Kyoya sighed inwardly. "There's a new enemy in town! And I wanted to warn you, and you don't have to come help us, but I know you hate anything disturbing the peace!"

Kyoya smirked, and despite his fatigue, he felt bloodlust stirring to life. Perhaps it was time to fight alongside his allies.

"I will be there."

"And please don't bite me to death, I didn't mean for this to happen, but…wait, what?!"

"I do not like repeating myself. I will be there soon."

"What? Wait, Hibari-san…!"

Kyoya clicked the phone shut and turned to face the setting sun.

It was time for the cloud to join the sky.

XxX

A/N: Finished! I hope you enjoyed, and feel free to leave a review on your way out.

Sincerely,

haplesshippo


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